TENINO, Wash. — The deadly shooting of a man at a bar in Tenino was the result of an ongoing confrontation between two groups of people that had flared up earlier in the day, according to court documents.
Police were called to the Old Highway 99 Company Bar and Grill at around 5:44 p.m. on Tuesday to a report of a shooting with a victim. Thurston County sheriff’s deputies were then advised that a man with a firearm had been subdued and was being held to the ground by patrons.
On Wednesday afternoon, Thurston County Judge Chris Lanese ordered the defendant held without bail, calling him a risk to public safety.
KING 5 is not naming the suspect as he has not been formally charged yet.
The defense attorney for the accused argued his client was attacked by the group of bikers. The judge disagreed, noting the defendant had left the bar, and returned hours later with a gun.
The victim, identified as Gaylord “Travis” Sayers, was found with two gunshot wounds, one to his right side and the other to the center of his abdomen. A third bullet fragment was found lodged amongst the keys in Sayers’ pocket.
Dallas Sayers, the son of the victim, spoke in court Wednesday afternoon.
"I don’t want him to see the light of day," said Dallas Sayers of the suspect.
Two witnesses to the shooting recalled seeing a red Kia quickly turn into the parking lot of the bar when a group of bikers, including the victim, went out to confront the driver. Witnesses said it looked like one of the bikers was punching the driver in the face, while another appeared to smash a cellphone to the ground. The witnesses turned their back to the altercation when they heard gunshots ring out in the parking lot. They did not know who fired the weapon or if anyone was hurt.
A member of the group of bikers who self-identified as being part of a club told law enforcement that the altercation was between himself, his fellow club members and his ex-wife’s current husband. An altercation took place between the same group of people at the bar earlier in the day. He claimed the suspect came back to the bar after several hours and was threatening to push over the group’s motorcycles which is when they went out to confront him.
A few of the club members were successful in pushing the suspect back into his vehicle, which is when the suspect allegedly fired off several rounds, striking Sayers. The other group members disarmed the suspect and held him to the ground until law enforcement arrived.
The suspect sustained injuries during the altercation and was taken to the hospital before he was arrested.