Man Arrested at Washington Festival, Police Believe Arrest Prevented a Potential Mass Shooting

Police officers in Grant County, Washington believe they prevented a potential mass shooting a the Bass Canyon EDM festival at the Gorge Amphitheatre on Friday night (August 19), as Consequence of Sound points out. According to a Facebook post from the Grant County Sheriff’s Office (below), security and witnesses notified police at around 9 p.m. after watching a man in the parking lot “inhale an unknown substance” from a balloon, produce two 9mm pistols from the trunk of his car, and load them with ammunition. He then placed one pistol in his waistband and the other in a holster, before approaching concertgoers, asking what time the event ended and where people would be exiting the venue.

The suspect was later identified as 31-year-old Jonathan R. Moody. He was detained by security outside of the venue gates and arrested on suspicion of one count of possession of a dangerous weapon and one count of unlawful carrying or handling of a weapon. Authorities booked Moody into Grant County Jail.

The first night of the Bass Canyon festival was sold-out, and had a crowd of over 25,000, as the statement notes. Grant County authorities thanked the concertgoers who reported Moody as well as on-site security for “keeping the man from getting inside the concert venue.” “Remember: if you see something, say something,” Grant County Sheriff’s Office wrote in their post. “Citizens saw something completely out of place for the circumstances and notified security, who in turn notified deputies. That combination of situational awareness along with noticing ‘something does not fit’ resulted in a possible tragedy being prevented.”

Earlier this month, a Lollapalooza security guard was charged with making a false terrorist threat after she allegedly circulated two fake messages warning of an imminent mass shooting on festival grounds. The woman, identified as 18-year-old Janya Williams, later confessed that she sent the messages “because she wanted to leave work early,” as prosecutors stated.

Pitchfork has reached out to the Grant County Sheriff’s Office for additional information and comment.