The courtroom lights up this week with one of Seattle’s most closely watched trials, as jurors hear the case against the man accused of shooting a disabled veteran on the city’s waterfront. Prosecutors say a confrontation on July 31, 2025, left 68-year-old Harold Powell with a gunshot wound to the chest. Powell survived, and now video of the incident and dueling self-defense claims are under a microscope.
Opening Statements And Charges
Prosecutors told jurors that Gregory Timm confronted Powell along the waterfront, demanded to see military identification, and “took advantage of Mr. Powell’s mobility issues,” according to KOMO. They say Timm grabbed a military patch from Powell’s wheelchair, stepped back, and fired a single round into Powell’s chest, and that witnesses and court filings will show Timm intentionally provoked the encounter.
Defense: Self-Defense Claim
Timm’s attorney, Jesse Dubow, offered a starkly different story, telling jurors his client fired one shot only after Powell produced a knife and displayed what appeared to be a holstered BB gun, according to KIRO 7. Dubow said Timm “was out of time, and out of options” and argued the shooting was a panicked act of self-preservation rather than an unprovoked attack.
What The Video And Witnesses Show
Video released in the case appears to show Powell reaching for a knife and a holstered pellet or airsoft gun, while witnesses say Timm removed a patch from Powell’s wheelchair before pulling a handgun and firing, per reporting in Law & Crime. Jurors will lean heavily on bystander footage and eyewitness testimony as they decide whether Timm set the confrontation in motion or reasonably believed he was in imminent danger.
Trial Schedule And What Comes Next
Timm is charged with assault in the first degree and third-degree theft, and the trial is expected to last about two weeks, according to KOMO. After opening statements wrapped Monday, the court moved into scheduling and procedural issues. In the days ahead, jurors will hear from witnesses and see the prosecution’s full presentation of its case.
Backstory And Public Reaction
The case has also dredged up Timm’s history. Reporting notes he previously drove a van into a Republican voter-registration tent in Jacksonville in 2020, an incident that attracted national attention, per KVI. Disability rights advocates and waterfront regulars say the shooting has sharpened concerns about public safety, the responsibilities of bystanders, and how quickly an argument on a busy sidewalk can turn into potentially deadly violence.
Legal Context
Prosecutors reminded jurors that under Washington law, someone who provokes a confrontation cannot later claim self-defense, and they plan to rely on video and eyewitness accounts to argue that Timm initiated the conflict, according to reporting and court filings. Assault in the first degree is a Class A felony under state law (RCW 9A.36.011), one of the state’s most serious charges. Any eventual sentence would depend on potential enhancements and the judge’s findings once the jury reaches a verdict.
