Man Shot by Early Morning Trespassers Near Soap Lake

Grant  County Deputies continue to search for suspects who shot a property owner in the chest early Monday morning.

   Man confronted people on his property

Around 3:40 AM, the GCSO says they received a report of three people driving around  a rural area southeast of Soap Lake, in the Rd 16.2 NE area. A property owner, 42-year-old Justin Hahnlen, confronted one of the three people, identified as Nicholas Brown, 39, of Ephrata and with help from another person, detained him.

When Hahnlen went to approach the other two people in the truck, gunfire was exchanged between Hahnlen and Max Reeves, 26, of Quincy, and Erin Belt, 25, of Ephrata who were in a Dodge Ram pickup.

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Hahnlen was struck in the chest, according to the GCSO:

"Justin was loaded in a vehicle and taken to Rd 16 NE and Stratford Rd, where deputies contacted him. Grant County Fire Dist 5, Grant County Fire Dist 7, and Lifeline responded and rendered aid. Justin was flown to Confluence Health Central Washington Hospital in Wenatchee, where he is listed as stable."

A dog from the truck was also hit, it was taken to an area vet and was said to also be stable.  The investigation continues, the GCSO says no arrests have been made.