2022 Richland Fred Meyer Fatal Shooter–Not Guilty Due to Insanity

According to Benton County Prosecuting Attorney Eric Eisinger,  the Fred Meyer shooter was not able to be found guilty by the court.

   Richland Fred Meyer shooter will go to Eastern State Hospital

The Benton County Superior Court found Aaron C. Kelly, who was 39 at the time, not guilty by reason of insanity.  That was his defense plea. February 7th of 2022, he entered the Richland Fred Meyer Store on Wellisian Way and fatally shot Instacart worker Justin Krumbah, then shot and wounded a man named Mark A. Hill before fleeing the store.   He was captured on surveillance video just prior to the crime, in this image supplied by Fred Meyer and Richland Police.

   He was captured on I-90 after a massive state-wide and Northwest search by law enforcement.

Kelly, now 41 was still found to be a significant danger to the community and others around him, according to Attorney Eisinger, but four mental health experts said at the time of the incident, he was suffering from schizophrenia, and he is criminally insane. They said he is unable to determine right from wrong concerning his crime.

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Eisinger said after the verdict at a press conference this was not the justice many had hoped for, but said Kelly will be held "indefinitely" at Eastern State Hospital in Medical Lake outside of Spokane, near Cheney. No other questions were taken or answered about the verdict.

The story attracted headlines from coast to coast, including coverage in the New York Post, Fox News, and CNN plus many others.