Man shot in chest near Amboy

A 23-year-old Amboy man was rushed to a hospital by Life Flight helicopter Monday night after being shot in the chest by a bullet from a 9 mm handgun.

Dustin Kunkel was listed in serious condition Tuesday afternoon at Southwest Washington Medical Center, a nursing supervisor said.

About 7:20 p.m. Monday, paramedics with North Country Emergency Medical Services and police officers were called to a reported accidental shooting at a home at 40303 N.E. Cedar Ridge Road, said Sgt. Bill Roberts with the Clark County Sheriff’s Office.

The address is about a mile west of Amboy in far-north Clark County.

Five people were in the home when the shooting occurred, Roberts said.

Detectives with the sheriff’s Major Crimes Team were called to the scene to investigate.

Based on preliminary investigation as of Tuesday evening, detectives said the shooting appeared to be accidental, said sheriff’s Sgt. Scott Schanaker.

Shawn J. Smith, 21, also of Amboy, is believed to have shot Kinkel accidentally. Smith apparently was cleaning the gun when it went off, Schanaker said.

No horseplay is believed to have been involved and Smith wasn’t arrested, Schanaker said.

The property is owned by Matson Siding Inc. of Brush Prairie, according to county records.

John Branton: 360-735-4513 or john.branton@columbian.com.