Renton theater shooting victim discharged from hospital



SEATTLE -- The woman shot inside a Renton movie theater last week is back at home with family.

Michelle Mallari’s cousin told Q13 News that the family is going through a hard time understanding how she could have been shot while watching a movie.

The suspected shooter, 29-year-old Dane Gallion of Newcastle, faced a judge over the weekend. Court documents allege Gallion admitted to drinking a beer and taking anxiety medication before going to the movies Thursday night.

Police reports said Gallion brought his gun into the theater because he worried about recent mass shootings in public places. Gallion told police his gun accidentally went off in his pocket.

The bullet passed right through 40-year-old Michelle Mallari’s chair and then through her shoulder.

“That’s when we heard a loud pop and everything kind of froze,” said Nathaniel Hansen who was inside the theater at the time of the shooting.

Hansen is a vet with medical training and after Gallion allegedly left he helped Mallari dress her wound and tried keeping her calm.

In court, Gallion’s attorneys asked the judge for leniency saying he’s a father of two.

But, Gallion has a prior arrest for DUI – and witnesses in Renton said he appeared to be intoxicated. That, and because he allegedly left the crime scene, the judge granted Gallion $25,000 bail.

Now that Gallion has been released on bail, he has to surrender all firearms and stay away from alcohol and controlled substances.

Michelle Mallari was discharged from Harborview on Sunday evening.