'It's just so sad to have my son gone at so young of an age'
Vernon Tobeck said his son, Joe Tobeck, and his friend were driving around, collecting scrap metal on Wednesday.
They loaded what they thought were some discarded pipes into the back of their truck, he said, and that's when a man yelled from across the street and accused them of stealing his pipes.
The two drove off, and the angry man reportedly opened fire. The two men ran into a dead-end, and had to drive back by the alleged gunman, who fired at the truck until it crashed, the victim's father said.
Joe Tobeck, 20, of Tenino died from his his wounds.
"It's just so sad to have my son gone at so young of an age," said Vernon Tobeck.
"He (the gunman) could have called the cops, and had the cops come get Joey. And Joey would have went to jail, but no. He decided to go out there and kill him," said the victim's mother, April Norman.
The suspected gunman, 70-year-old William D. Morgan, was arrested under investigation of murder.
"I'm glad the man is in jail, and I hope he doesn't ever get out," said Norman.
But Morgan is getting out right away, released without having to post bail while the prosecutor decides whether to file charges.
"We need to see all of the police reports. We need to see the ballistics," said Pierce County Prosecutor Mark Lindquist. "We want to make a very measured decision based on all the information, and we just don't have enough information right now to make a charging decision."
Morgan reportedly said he feared for his life, that as the young men drove back past him, he thought they were going to run him down.
"It's a private road. It's a small road. So that's probably a conclusion that could easily be drawn," said defense attorney Zenon Obertz.
For now, Morgan is heading home to his family while Vernon Tobeck and his wife prepare to bury their son.
"I'm just so heartbroken," said Norman.
Morgan is prohibited from possessing any firearm for at least 30 days while the prosecutor makes a decision on charges.