Man charged in girlfriend's campsite shooting death
MOUNT VERNON, Wash. (AP) - A man who says he accidentally shot his girlfriend while they were camping in a tent near Marblemount was charged Wednesday in Mount Vernon with manslaughter.
Thirty-one-year-old Clayton Riggles told investigators he was putting his .45-caliber revolver under his pillow to go to sleep Saturday when it went off and hit 28-year-old Brittany Zika in the head.
The Rockport woman worked as a veterinary assistant at Skagit Animal Clinic in Burlington.
Thirty-one-year-old Clayton Riggles told investigators he was putting his .45-caliber revolver under his pillow to go to sleep Saturday when it went off and hit 28-year-old Brittany Zika in the head.
The Rockport woman worked as a veterinary assistant at Skagit Animal Clinic in Burlington.
 I grew up with this guy...These two were in love... This is a tragic sad event... We all love both of them. Say a prayer instead of all the judgements with wrong facts... I know you all think you know the facts, but you dont live her...You dont know. The people here know the truth, not people who just read a article here and there, and say, "he is guilty". Some people have nothing better to do I guess than pretend like they know everthing...
"Better things for quicker dying through the magic of firearms!"
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I don't believe this guy's story for one minute: find his other girlfriend.
shooting someone is poor form, they obviously didn't have the trigger discipline or the muzzle sense to keep a weapon. so they should be prosecuted for manslaughter, this wasn't an accident, he was deliberate in the direction the gun was pointing, and he was deliberate in putting his finger on the trigger. If there was more info, history of fighting, insurance money, etc, I'd look to get him for some form of murder.
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for me, he committed homicide with a gun.  he should get extra time for using a gun, and the time for manslaughter.
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even if it was "truly" an accident, I wouldn't change my opinion.Â
Another responsible gun owner. What is really scary is that there are thousands more just like him. I agree there are millions of gun owners that are responsible, but there are just too many out there that are not. And, before you start in on the car comparison, I am well aware that we have car accidents too and just as soon as the gun makers spend as much money trying to make guns safe as car makers have, we start licensing guns, licensing owners and requiring them to carry insurance and pass tests in order to handle one, I'll admit you have a point.
I don't always sleep with a .45 revolver under my pillow, but when I do, I prefer to have it UN-cocked. Stay safe, my friends.
No trigger lock, loaded, cocked, safety on/off, whatever, if it is under your pillow, it's at least manslaughter. This is as irresponsible as it gets, just like getting behind the wheel drunk in my book. These idiots make it so hard for responsible gun owners! I hate to say it, but I guess we have to play to the lowest common denominator when dummies like this get to have a gun. So sad, still think he is lying though, just my opinion
 Having camped for years in WA and never once carried or needed a firearm, I disagree with IrishMike's statement. It is a tragedy that the misperception persists that guns are somehow "necessary" in such a setting.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Y7uuKroWsHw/T0zpSFx-9LI/AAAAAAAAFvg/mFUVIwUq_vA/s1600/Humor_funny_journalists_guide_to_firearms_ak47_glock.jpg
Keep your finger off the trigger (and outside of the trigger guard), and don't point your weapon at anything you do not wish to destroy. How hard is this to understand? I just don't get it. Handgun safety courses should be required for all 1st time handgun customers.
 @SunWorshipper  Handgun safety courses infringe on my 2nd Amendment rights.Â
I doubt that he killed her. He's just another responsible gun owner in rural America that displays his large intelligence by sleeping with a loaded .45 under his pillow pointed directly at his girlfriend. Nothing to see here folks...just another day in America with the responsible gun owners being responsible as usual.  Â
 @lakeview <ignore>
@lakeview Your lack of intelligent commentary is showing again........
manslaughter? I hope they find out the truth.
Whatever happen the family deserves to know the truth. RIP Brittany, I hope you didn't suffer.Â
Duh! We knew that was coming!
If it's a revolver, I think the chances of this gun going off on accident is highly unlikely. This guy probably murdered his girlfriend for whatever reason and thinks his story of 'accidental shooting' is intelligent. Lock him up for a long time please. This may have even been premeditated.
 @Koreanman012 Not going to be a revolver in that caliber. (Unless it's and old .45 Colt, and it would probably be a single action type which would not be "easy" to fire just putting under a pillow). And the more I think about it, just putting a regular .45 1911 style wouldn't be easy to fire either, with the grip type safety and all. Pretty confusing, and points to a lie in my book.
 @XLRG  @Koreanman012 They still sell new 45 caliber revolvers
a sidearm is like insurance... you may go your entire life not needing it.  but if you are camping and a bear or cougar try to make you there dinner, you will thank god for that gun. being in the wilderness without protection is moronic.Â
very true , huge and expensive which is  why I think it is un-likely a double action. but who know most people do not know difference between a revolver and semi- auto anyway never mind single action or double. Heck most and mean people who own can't tell you center fire to rim fire. Never mind a  hack reporting the news.
 @IrishMike  @DarkParty  @XLRG  @Koreanman012 having camped for years in WA and never once carried or needed a firearm, I disagree with this statement. It is a tragedy that the misperception persists that guns are somehow "necessary" in such a setting.
 @IrishMike Or just not enough evidence to charge him with a more severe crime.
 @DarkParty  @XLRG  @Koreanman012  The Taurus Judge is a .45 revolver that also shoots .410 shotgun shells and one of the best selling pistols around right now. I'm assuming there was some type of evidence to back up his story or they would have filed appropriate charges. Accidental gun deaths happen all the time just because it was a boyfriend/girlfriend. You have to have a firearm camping in WA. Tragic story
 @DarkParty  @XLRG  @Koreanman012Â
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Well if reported correctly .45double action revolvers are rare and spendy which is the only the only scenario that might hold a little water. If a single action is the culprit = murder. Â Either way he will be held responsible.
@BocaBob Where does it say it was double action? It could have been a Ruger or Colt single action revolver. Either way, alcohol and/or stupidity was a factor.
It doen't say one or the other just saying if it was doulble he had his finger on the trigger slide his under the pillow although stupid it might be manslaughter if as I suspect it was singel it is murder.You are correct alcohol and or drugs + stupidy are involved because if he planned it and thoght he would get away with he was beyond stupid.
This is homicide. A revolver cannot accidentally go off. Idiots.
 @Vince Are we assuming he did not keep his revolver's hammer cocked? I think it is possible he kept his revolver loaded and cocked, in an attempt to "be ready" for a potential situation. While I am not saying this is smart, or that this is what actually occurred, isn't it possible? I am just clarifying, because I have limited personal experience with revolvers.
 @Vince Oh, and I agree -- definitely suspicious circumstances, regardless of single action, double action, revolver or semi-auto.
Accident...hmm.... and I got some ocean front property in South Dakota to sell you. RIP to Brittany and my condolences to her family.
Putting a loaded weapon under one's pillow for the night should start with checking to make sure if the safety is on, and if there are people sleeping nearby, try to point the weapon in a weapon in a direction so as not to accidentally injure someone. I do hope more information is provided to KOMO readers.
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Accident or not, my heart goes out to this woman's family and friends.
 @barkingmad Yes, he certainly didn't follow any of the important rules for gun safety - keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction, treat every gun as though it is loaded, keep finger off the trigger until ready to shoot... Â
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I still think there is no way this was an accident - especially if it's a revolver...Â
@Datsuyama I do not think your conclusion is off base..and thanks for not ranting on my cut, paste, errors in my orignial post!
What I can't figure out is why were they camping? I know it's hard times for many but it sounds like she had a job and brought in some amount of money.Marblemount is freaking freezing cold this time of year.Condolances to all.
@F4I Some people actually enjoy camping, even in cold weather.
An investigation is certainly required, but do you expect the media to get type of handgun correct? No, really. I think you have too much confidence in them being able to properly identify any type of weapon.
It wasn't an accident. If it had been an 45 auto I would say maybe, but not a revolver.
"accidentally" Â Â uh huh...Â
A revolver does not "go off"
 @DarkParty Unless you think like Diane Feinstein...Â
 @Datsuyama  @DarkParty Oh you're funny. What's even more funny is that damn liberal Feinstein has a CCP and hasn't managed to shoot anyone yet like this bozo and poster child for redneck responsible gun owners.Â
 @Datsuyama  @DarkParty Man if I only had a list of stupid things said by politicians about guns. My favorites start with the lady that said lots of people have been shot with unloaded guns (no she actually meant unloaded), another said tracers were heat seeking bullets, and on and on. Finestink is simply going for a gun grab no matter what so anything she says is invalid and needs to be dismissed out of hand.