LONGVIEW — The man who shot a South Kelso resident on Nov. 12 remains at large and detectives continue to seek leads in the case, but the victim’s medical condition is dampening progress, authorities said Thursday.
“It is a case that is going to require quite a bit of work from our detectives,” Chief Criminal Deputy Troy Brightbill said Thursday. “We continue to encourage the public to contact us. … The victim’s condition does make for some difficult circumstances in the investigation. … Obviously his recovery is the most important thing at this point.”
An updated medical report on Rick Huckaby was unavailable Thursday, but a family member reported Tuesday that he remained in critical condition.
According to the sheriff’s office, an intruder shot Huckaby, 69, at about 7:15 p.m. while Huckaby and his wife were in their home in the 1400 block of South Fourth Avenue.
Detectives have processed the crime scene and contacted neighbors to seek possible video evidence, Brightbill said. To avoid compromising the investigation, he declined to say whether detectives have identified a suspect or a motive for the shooting. Brightbill said the sheriff’s office will release more information when an arrest is made.
Investigators say Huckaby did not know his assailant, who is described as a bearded white male with frizzy gray hair and standing about 5 feet, 5 inches tall.
Huckaby was moved to an undisclosed location for safety reasons last week, according to a family member.
Repeating an assessment Sheriff Brad Thurman made last week, Brightbill said the sheriff’s office has no reason to believe the public is in danger.
“We don’t have any reason that we could say that there is a risk to the general public,” Brightbill said. “This seemed to have been a specific act against a specific person.”
The sheriff’s office asks anyone with information or video evidence to contact its office at 360-577-3092.
