A Sequim man is now in custody after allegedly trying to shoot his neighbor near West Hendrickson Road last Wednesday.

Sgt. Dave Campbell reported that Sequim Police officers responded to multiple 9-1-1 calls at 5:52 p.m. April 27 on the 700 block of West Heritage Loop in a manufactured home development to reports of several gunshots. Once on the scene, Campbell said officers discovered a 49-year-old woman who, covered in blood, ran out of her home screaming for help. She said someone was trying to kill her, officers reported.

Deputy Police Chief Mike Hill said from the scene Thursday that 66-year-old James Donald Luoma was confronted in front of the woman’s house and he surrendered without resisting on Wednesday night.

Luoma had a pistol and was bleeding from an apparent gunshot in his left thumb, Hill said.

He was transported to Olympic Medical Center in Port Angeles and later airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. An officer escorted him in the ambulance and helicopter ride and remains with him as of Thursday afternoon, Hill said.

Luoma was transported to Clallam County Jail the next day.

Sequim Police said they plan to send charges to the Clallam County Prosector’s Office against Luoma for attempted murder in the first degree and first degree burglary, Hill said.

His bail was set at $5 million by Judge Brent Basden on Monday, May 2 with a motion hearing set after press deadline.

The 49-year-old woman did not sustain serious injuries and is living with family right now, Hill said.

Witnesses told police that Luoma allegedly went to the woman’s home and fired several shots at her and missed, according to a police report.

One neighbor, who asked to remain anonymous, said she heard two shots and then a series of shots. Another neighbor who asked to be anonymous, said he came outside due to what he said sounded like loud hammering, but turned out to be gunshots, right before the woman started screaming for help.

How many shots were fired remains under investigation, Hill said.

Police also are investigating to see if the pistol was registered to him, he added.

Police reported from the scene that Luoma went to the victim’s home and a struggle ensued where the woman disarmed Luoma, Hill said.

The woman ran next door and attempted to contact a neighbor for help who lives between she and Luoma. More shots were fired inside and near the neighbor’s garage, police report.

Washington State Patrol’s Crime Scene Response Team was on scene last Wednesday and Thursday and Sequim detectives and Port Angeles Police canvassed the neighborhood both days.

Neighbors said the woman and Luoma have lived in the Hendrickson Heritage Park manufactured home development for at least three years.

Police report the two knew each other and neighbors said the two had been friendly for some time with the woman recently helping Luoma when an ambulance came to assist him at his house for a medical need.

Police said they continue to investigate to see if Luoma has a criminal history.

Hill said last week the cause of the shooting was still speculative and they’ve were unable to take a statement from Luoma as of Thursday afternoon. Court documents for the police investigation were not available press time.

The conflict only appears to be between the two people and no one else was directly involved, Hill said.

Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash Washington State Patrol’s Crime Scene Response Team survey a scene near West Hendrickson Road on April 28 where a Sequim man allegedly tried to shoot his neighbor the evening prior.

Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash Washington State Patrol’s Crime Scene Response Team survey a scene near West Hendrickson Road on April 28 where a Sequim man allegedly tried to shoot his neighbor the evening prior.