The victim in a shooting death Monday in rural Latah County has been identified as Tim Reeves, an 18-year-old Pullman High School student.

His mother, Marena Knight, traveled to Pullman from Seattle, where she lives. She recalled her son’s gentle, kind demeanor. He never got in trouble at school, she said, he held doors open for girls. His brother had to beg him to play football, when he would rather play video games.

“I can’t stress enough how much he’s just a teddy bear,” she said. “I don’t believe he had a mean bone in his body.”

Reeves was originally from Cle Elum, Knight said. He then moved to Selah and Yakima with his father and sister, Kaelea, and after that to Pullman, where they have lived the past three years. Knight noted the resemblance between the siblings.

“They look identical,” she said. “She’s the girl version of TJ.”

Reeves, who his mother refers to as TJ, and his sister were close. They enjoyed playing Call of Duty together, going to parks and playing hide and seek with their friends. The rest of the family is tight-knit as well, Knight said. Reeves and many of the male relatives have tattoos on their arms saying “friends” and “family.”

“This is not the type of ending I pictured,” she said.

According to a news release, investigators are attempting to locate Matthew McKetta and Keagan Tennant as part of the investigation into Reeves’s death. Keagan Tennant is Pullman Police Cmdr. Chris Tennant’s adopted son.

They are believed to be armed and dangerous, and may be driving a white 2002 Pontiac Grand Am with Idaho license IBX8758.

“I don’t want there to be any more casualties,” Knight said. “I just want them to come home and be men, own up to their shit and take care of what they need to take care of.”

Keagan Tennant’s ex-girlfriend, Dailene Stedman said she was surprised when she heard Tennant and McKetta were suspects in the investigation.

“It really doesn’t sound like them,” she said in a message on Facebook, “so it shocked me.”

They hadn’t talked much since breaking up a couple months ago, she said, but she hung out with Tennant and McKetta on Sunday, the day before the crime. She said everything seemed normal then.

“When I saw them, they were fine,” Stedman said. “We just sat and talked like friends.”

She said they asked her to go swimming the next day, but she didn’t go, and she hasn’t been in contact with them since.

Tennant and McKetta met about six months ago, Stedman said, while she and Tennant were dating. McKetta was dating Stedman’s friend, Kendra Pittkin, and the four of them became “a tight-knit group.”

Though Stedman did not know much about the two men’s pasts, she said they never seemed violent or dangerous. She said McKetta was like a brother to her, and she and Tennant had “the typical mushy couple thing” until they broke up.

“Around me,” Stedman said, “they were fun, carefree, funny and all-out great guys.”

Pullman Police Department posted on Facebook saying Pullman investigators are assisting the Latah County Sheriff’s Office and the Moscow Police Department in locating Tennant and McKetta.

The post states that Chris Tennant has not been in regular contact with Keagan Tennant, but is helping investigators to find him and bring him into custody.

“Commander Tennant wishes to pass along his heartfelt condolences to the shooting victim’s family,” the post states.

Pullman Public Schools posted on Facebook notifying families of Reeves’ death, and said it will offer counseling services at the school’s Counseling Center on Friday from 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. and from 12:30 – 3:30 p.m.

“On behalf of the entire district,” the post states, “we offer our deepest condolences and support to Tim’s family and friends.”

The sheriff’s office asks that anyone with information on Tennant or McKetta contact them at 208-882-2216. The office also cautions the public not to approach the men, and to call 911 if they are seen.

Correction: This article has been revised to reflect that Keagan Tennant’s ex-girlfriend’s name is Dailene Stedman, not Dai James.