Details released in arrest of Moscow shooting suspect

From staff reports

John Lee, shooting suspect for the Moscow killings on Saturday, Jan. 10, showed signs of physical or mental ailment, according to court documents.

According to the probable cause affidavit for the arrest warrant, the first shooting was reported at about 2:31 p.m. in an office of Northwest Mutual. Lee allegedly had shot his landlord, David M. Trail, 76, several times.

Michael Chin, 39, was in the building as well, doing business with Trail. Chin called in the initial report, describing the shooter as a heavy-set Asian male matching Lee’s description. Chin reported that Lee walked into the office and began firing. He left the office briefly and Chin hid under a desk. The affidavit states that Lee returned to the office and shot Chin, as well as shooting Trail several more times.

Trail was taken to Pullman Regional Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The second shooting happened about 18 minutes later; at around 2:39 p.m., Moscow Police received a report of a shooting at Arby’s.

A witness on the scene said a person matching Lee’s description came in and asked to speak with the manager. Restaurant manager Belinda Niebuhr, 47, came out to speak with Lee. Another witness reported hearing Lee say, “Do you remember me?” before pulling a pistol out of his pocket and shooting at Niebuhr.

The first few times, one witness said, the gun clicked but didn’t fire.

Niebuhr ran from Lee and dove through the drive-through window. Lee followed her and shot her several more times. When police arrived on the scene, they found Niebuhr in the parking lot with multiple gunshot wounds.

She was taken to Gritman Medical Center and pronounced dead.

A witness took out a phone and took 11 photos of the car, which allowed officers to identify the vehicle.

Officers conducted a welfare check on Lee’s parents and found Lee’s mother, Terri L. Grzebielski, dead from gunshot wounds. Nine mm shell casings were found there; several rounds of matching ammunition were found in Lee’s car.

Pullman Police found the vehicle at the Chevron Station in Pullman. The officers attempted to stop the vehicle and investigate, and Lee fled.

Pullman Police pursued the car, resulting in a car chase with speeds reaching 110 miles per hour before Lee lost control of his vehicle and crashed near Steptoe. He was arrested by Pullman Police officers and was assessed at Whitman Community Hospital; he did not appear to be under the influence of any substance.

When his car was impounded, officers found a black semi-automatic assault-style rifle in the front passenger compartment, as well nine mm ammunition.

Lee was arrested for the felony of eluding arrest. He is being charged in Washington for this crime. After these proceedings are complete, he will be extradited to Idaho to face three charges of first degree murder and one charge of attempted first degree murder.

Lee’s arraignment will take place on Friday in the Whitman County Courthouse.

Reporting by Michelle Fredrickson and Dustin Brennan