Beyond Wonderland festival campground shooting suspect pleads not guilty to murder and assault
James M. Kelly is accused of killing two people and injuring three more at the campgrounds of the Washington festival
A man has pleaded not guilty to charges of murder and assault following a shooting at the campsite of last month's Beyond Wonderland festival.
Two women were killed, and a further three people were injured, during the incident at the electronic music festival at Quincy, Washington's Gorge Amphitheatre. A 26-year-old active US Army member called James M. Kelly was accused of the shooting and charged with two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of first-degree assault, and one count of first-degree domestic violence assault.
Having entered his not guilty plea, Kelly is currently being detained at Grant County Jail in Kentucky. The two women who were killed were 29-year-old Brandy Escamilla and 26-year-old Josilyn Ruiz. Kelly's girlfriend was also among the three people who were injured, alongside another festivalgoer and an employee who had responded to reports of the shooting.
The shooting occurred on Saturday, 17th June and forced the cancellation of the festival's scheduled second day. "We would like to express our sincere appreciation to the local authorities and staff who acted quickly to manage the situation," Beyond Wonderland wrote in a statement at the time. "Our heartfelt thoughts and condolences go out to the family, friends, and all those affected by this tragic event."
