A late-night argument in a downtown Kelso parking lot exploded into gunfire Friday, leaving a 35-year-old local man in critical condition and police hunting for a red or maroon SUV. Officers were called to the lot just after 10 p.m., but by the time they arrived, witnesses told investigators the victim had already been rushed to a nearby hospital. The suspect took off in the SUV and has not been found.
Police Ask For Tips
Kelso police are investigating and are asking anyone who saw or heard anything to call the department's non-emergency line at 360-423-1270. That number, along with guidance on when to use it, is listed on the city's police webpage, according to Kelso Police.
The Scene
According to KPTV, the shooting happened in the parking lot at 411 Long Avenue shortly after 10 p.m. Witnesses told officers there had been an argument before someone climbed out of a red or maroon SUV, possibly a Dodge Durango, and fired several shots. The victim, a 35-year-old Kelso man, was taken to St. John Medical Center in Longview and later flown by Life Flight to a Portland hospital, where he was listed in critical condition. The suspect has not been located, and police did not release a description.
Local Context
Southwest Washington has weathered a string of high-profile public-safety scares in recent years. In 2025, a planned mass shooting and explosives attack at the Three Rivers Mall was interrupted by federal agents and local partners, according to a statement published by FBI Portland. PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center in Longview, the region's primary trauma facility where the Kelso victim was first taken, lists its address and transfer capabilities on the health system's site, according to PeaceHealth.
How To Help Investigators
Investigators say the suspect in Friday night's shooting has not been found and that no description has been released. Anyone with information is asked to call Kelso police at 360-423-1270 and reference case number 26-4918, according to KPTV. The department's non-emergency number and additional reporting guidance are also posted on the city's police page, according to Kelso Police.
