Covington man killed in shooting that police say appears accidental; acquaintance arrested

COVINGTON, Wash. -- A 40-year-old man who rented a room in a house in Covington was shot and killed Thursday night and a fellow boarder in the home was arrested, the King County Sheriff's Office said.

The shooting took place in the 17400 block of SE Wax Road in Covington, the sheriff's office said.

Sgt. Ryan Abbott said the 40-year-old victim and the 21-year-old male suspect knew each other as they both rented rooms in the same house.

At about 8:11 p.m. Thursday, the sheriff's office received a call that someone had been shot in a back bedroom of a house.

Deputies found the 40-year-old man with a single shotgun wound to his chest or stomach area, Abbott said, and they performed CPR but were unable to save the man.

Investigators don't know what led up to the shooting, Abbott said, but "it appears that the intention wasn't murder, it was negligence."

Asked if it was an accident, Abbott said, "It appears so."

He said the 21-year-old man was cooperative and that he was being booked into the King County Jail for investigation of manslaughter.

Investigators "don't believe his intention was to murder this person," Abbott said.

No other details were immediately released.