Mountain Home laundromat shooting suspect arrested in Ontario

MOUNTAIN HOME, Idaho (KBOI) - The man suspected of shooting a Mountain Home Air Force Base airman Saturday morning has been arrested in Oregon.

Mountain Home Police say 38-year-old Lajuan C. Lee was arrested Saturday evening in Ontario for trespassing while hiding in a lumber yard, trying to evade police.

The Mountain Home Police Department obtained an arrest warrant and traveled to Ontario to interview Lee. Police served Lee with the warrant on suspicion of aggravated battery in relation to the shooting, which has a $500,000 bond.

Neighbors say the community is breathing a sigh of relief after a tense day.

"People weren't sure where to go or who he was or what was behind it," said Stephanie Phillips, who lives two blocks away from the laundromat, "so knowing that there's an armed dangerous man out there, and nobody knows who he is or what he wanted definitely upped the fear factor for everybody in town."

The shooting happened around 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the Econowash Laundromat off American Legion Boulevard.

"The thought of somebody coming in, walking into a laundromat and shooting somebody really freaks people out," said Chris Worthington, who was doing his laundry at Econowash Sunday afternoon. "It's understandable. It's something that doesn't really happen around here a lot."

Mountain Home Air Force Base officials confirmed Saturday that one of its airmen from the 366th Logistics Readiness Squadron was shot in the chest.

The victim, whose name has not been released, was flown to a Boise hospital. According to base officials, the airman was in stable condition as of Saturday evening.

"Was there an ongoing feud?" Phillips said. "Is it something the public needs to be aware of, or was it just between those two gentleman? Or just a random? That's the information, I think, that will completely settle people down."

Police are still looking into a motive for the shooting, but they say there is no longer a threat to the public.

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