Neil Forestier Death – The individual who was fatally shot during a playful altercation on New Year’s Eve in Lake Stevens has been identified. Neil Forestier, a 27-year-old resident of Arlington, had gone out with a woman he was dating to the Creekside Alehouse & Grill in Lake Stevens. Joshua Kelly, a 22-year-old acquaintance, joined them there. After the alehouse closed, the three of them went to the woman’s apartment.
Around 3:30 a.m., Forestier and Kelly engaged in a playful fight, agreeing to use minimal force. Before the fight, Kelly placed a handgun on the kitchen table. During the altercation, Forestier unexpectedly punched Kelly in the stomach with significant force. Forestier, who had experience in mixed martial arts, delivered a blow that caught Kelly off guard.
Kelly, feeling winded, picked up the gun when the woman left the room. He claimed that he intended to use the gun’s flashlight to startle Forestier, but accidentally discharged the weapon. Despite Kelly providing immediate medical assistance, Forestier was pronounced dead at the scene approximately 15 minutes later.
The Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed that Forestier died from a single gunshot wound, classifying his death as a homicide. Lake Stevens police arrested Kelly on suspicion of second-degree murder. During questioning, Kelly denied any intention to harm Forestier, stating that he only wanted to frighten him. However, he changed parts of his account when confronted by the police. Kelly also admitted to an officer that he should not possess a firearm due to his tendency to become “trigger happy.”
Kelly is currently being held in the Snohomish County Jail with bail set at $250,000.
