The Yelm Police Department announced Thursday, Feb. 27, that the suspect in a shooting being investigated for attempted murder is now in custody.
The shooting, which left two people injured, occurred on Thursday, Feb. 6, near Sea Mar Community Health Center in Yelm.
Buc-Quah James Mills turned himself in to police custody, according to Yelm Mayor Joe DePinto, who shared the news on his Facebook page.
According to Thurston County’s inmate records, Mills was charged with attempted first-degree murder and drive-by shooting. He can’t post bail for either of the charges.
“I understand there was a lot of public concern while the suspect was at large and wanted more immediate information, but it was difficult due to some of the suspects/victims being minors as well as the active investigation,” DePinto wrote. “The City of Yelm Police Department, along with multiple law enforcement agencies, did an excellent job conducting the investigation, interviews, obtaining warrants, and ultimately taking the suspect into custody. I’m very grateful to them and relieved this ended with a peaceful surrender.”
Mills remained at large after the shooting for three weeks.
In the evening hours of Thursday, Feb. 6, two gunshot wound victims were in stable condition after a shooting in the Sea Mar Community Health Center parking lot. According to Yelm’s Assistant Police Chief Tillman Atkins on Friday, Feb. 7, one of the gunshot victims was airlifted by helicopter from Yelm Middle School shortly after the incident.
Thurston County Sheriff Derek Sanders shared to his Facebook page around 12:15 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 7 that TCSO assisted Yelm Police Department with the “shootout off Yelm Ave W.”
Sanders wrote that one of the vehicles associated with this shooting has “numerous reports of being associated (with) an armed drug dealer,” and that TCSO has called out detectives to assist with the case as the investigation is ongoing.
