'Nothing adds up'; No charges after man shot, left to die in Gold Bar

Man shot twice and left to die in Gold Bar, no charges

As a Snohomish County man recovers in Everett from two gunshot wounds his family, and friends, are growing frustrated by initial reports of a scrap metal thief shot by a homeowner.

GOLD BAR, Wash. - As a Snohomish County man recovers in Everett from two gunshot wounds his family, and friends, are growing frustrated by initial reports of a scrap metal thief shot by a homeowner.

"Nothing adds up," said Stacia Mossuto, who’s been dating Johnny Fultcher for roughly 12 years.

"I want a thorough investigation. Two shots? Above the legs," she asks pointing to the center of her body. "To me, that’s to kill."

Fultcher’s injuries were initially reported as non-life threatening by the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office. However, his friends aren’t sure what his prognosis truly is. He’s been through at least five surgeries including a tracheotomy, and later, he was given a feeding tube.

According to Mossuto, Fultcher was left for dead after the shooting. He drove himself more than a mile away from where the shooting initially took place to get help. Someone held an icepack to his gunshot wound in his chest, a move paramedics told Mossuto likely saved his life.

The incident is still under investigation, though initial information released by investigators noted that the man who shot Fultcher did so after he "observed a victim stealing scrap metal from his property."

Family and friends tell FOX 13 that he was likely searching for morel mushrooms. After they cleaned up his car, they say they found a bucket with more than 30 mushrooms in it, and added he had been talking about searching for morels the night before, a regular thing for him every year.

The shooting took place, according to investigators, near the 14500 block of Wallace Lake Road, a small area butted up against Wallace Falls State Park. He was picked up by paramedics at a home closer to the main drag of Gold Bar.

A public information officer with the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office tells FOX 13 that the person who shot the victim provided the statements about scrap metal being stolen, calling it "self-defense."

They also note the investigation is still ongoing, and say the property owner is still cooperating with deputies.

Mossuto said Fultcher is a shy person, and that he’d be heartbroken to hear how his story has been told to date.

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"He’s scared," she said, referring to the few times he’s woken up since the incident. "I’ve never seen him like this before, but he’s got fight in him. He needs prayer."