BELLEVUE, Wash. - A 50-year-old man shot and killed himself during a gun-safety class at a Bellevue gun range.
Brian J. Parry is believed to have shot himself in the head with a pistol Sunday during a class at West Coat Armory, a gun range and dealer with outlets in Bellevue and Issaquah.
Bellevue police spokeswoman Carla Iafrate confirmed that police are investigating the shooting but refused to release details. She said the investigation into Parry’s death is ongoing.
The King County Medical Examiner’s Office earlier this week ruled Parry’s death a suicide. He died of a contact gunshot wound to the head.
In an email, a man describing himself as a witness to the shooting said the dead man - identified by the Medical Examiner’s Office as Parry - stood in front of more than a dozen people participating in the class and ended his life.
Several children saw the shooting, which occurred at West Coast Armory’s indoor range at 13216 S.E. 32nd St. in Bellevue.
West Coast did not immediately return a request for comment made Thursday morning.
According to the business website, the gun range offered an entry-level handgun course the day of the shooting. Participants paid $75 for three hours of instruction meant to teach students how to load and use pistols and revolvers.
March 18, 2013 6:28 AM
