Guy accuses 68 y/o dude in a wheel chair of stolen valor provokes a fight. Wheel chair man charges at him with a knife, pulls out an airsoft gun. Provoker pulls out a pistol from his man purse and blasts the guy.
(wheel chair man survived, is a vet)pic.twitter.com/gqYi0HDIYj
— WeaponOutfitters.com (@WeaponOutfitter) August 13, 2025
On the evening of July 31, 2025, a busy summer night at Seattle’s Pier 55 turned chaotic when a confrontation between two strangers erupted into gunfire in front of dozens of tourists, families, and waterfront workers.
The shooter, later identified as 32-year-old Gregory William Timm, accused 68-year-old wheelchair-bound street musician Harold James Powell of “stolen valor” — falsely claiming military service. The exchange escalated as Timm took a veteran patch from Powell’s belongings, prompting Powell to arm himself with a knife and have a holstered airsoft pistol at his side. Witnesses say Powell never raised or pointed the airsoft gun, but Timm stepped back, and according to news reports, pulled a .45-caliber handgun from his bag, and shot Powell point-blank in the chest.
Powell survived the shooting, but the violent encounter — captured on multiple cell phone videos — has sparked both a legal fight over self-defense and public debate over when armed citizens should, and should not, draw or use their weapons.
The Confrontation
Prosecutors say Gregory William Timm approached Powell outside the Starbucks at Pier 55, demanding proof of his military service. According to charging documents, Timm removed a veteran patch from Powell’s belongings while the handicapped musician was retrieving his wallet. Powell then armed himself with a knife and had a holstered airsoft pistol in his wheelchair — which resembled a real firearm.
Witness video shows Timm stepping back, drawing a .45-caliber handgun from a bag, and firing a single round into Powell’s chest. The shooting took place in broad daylight with bystanders — including children — nearby.
After the shot, Timm put the gun away, raised his hands, and waited for the police. He was taken into custody by a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife officer and later booked into King County Jail on $750,000 bail.
Legal Arguments & Self-Defense Claims
Timm’s attorney has suggested the shooting was self-defense, claiming Powell first pulled a knife. But prosecutors counter that self-defense is void if the shooter is the “first aggressor.”
King County Prosecutor’s Office spokesperson Casey McNerthney told KIRO 7, “If you provoke an attack upon yourself, you lose the right to claim self-defense.”
Timm’s past is also drawing attention. In 2020, he drove a van into a tent of Trump supporters in Jacksonville, Florida, for which he was convicted of criminal mischief and served 60 days in jail. Prosecutors in the Seattle case argue he is “likely to commit a violent offense if released.”
Community Impact & Mayor’s Response
Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell called the incident “a targeted altercation” and stressed that police presence and security will continue on the waterfront. Mayor Harrell then pivoted to “gun violence” as the cause. “We are getting about five guns off the street a day — over 2,000 a year — so we’re doing everything we can,” Harrell said, while expressing hope that such violence remains rare.
Kelsey Reidt, a waterfront worker, described Powell as a regular fixture in the area: “He’s usually playing music and bringing a good vibe to the waterfront.”
Commentary: What Gun Owners Should Avoid
Firearms trainers point out that this case is a textbook example of what not to do. In this case, initiating a confrontation — especially by physically taking property — puts you in the role of the aggressor. From that point, the law will see you as having forfeited any claim to self-defense.
If an armed citizen finds themselves in a verbal dispute:
- Do Not Escalate — Walk away unless there is a clear, immediate threat to life.
- Never brandish or use a firearm to “win” an argument. Lethal force is for imminent, unavoidable danger — not pride or principle.
- Remember the witnesses — In a public place, dozens of cell phone cameras can become evidence in court. Your actions will be judged frame by frame.
Had Timm disengaged and contacted authorities if he truly believed a law was being broken, this would have remained a heated conversation — not a criminal case that could put him in prison for years.
Timm is due back in court on August 18 for further proceedings. If convicted of first-degree assault, he faces a lengthy prison sentence under Washington state law. Meanwhile, Powell continues recovering from his injuries, and the incident serves as a stark reminder that ego-driven confrontations and undisciplined individuals with firearms are a dangerous mix.
What do you think, who was right and who was wrong?
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Armed Citizen Ends Deadly Knife Rampage in Spokane: A Case for Concealed Carry Preparedness
Guy #2 is a fruitcake and definitely appears to be the aggressor. As a CCW holder, and always armed, I would never engage in such an encounter. I don’t care if he is using stolen valor to beg for money or not. I am ever mindful of my responsibilities as an armed citizen and avoid confrontation at all times. As I have learned from many years practicing Aikido, and as O’Sensei said, the best Aikido is when you walk away without having to practice your art. The same applies to the 2A.
From Andy Ngo @MrAndyNgo
July 31 Seattle shooting. A man identified as Gregory Timm fired a handgun at a wheelchair-bound man following some type of confrontation. The disabled man had an air soft gun but didn’t use it. In 2020 in Florida, Timm crashed a van into a display and table with pro-Trump campaign materials.
A man who was convicted for ramming a van through a Trump campaign table in Florida in 2020 is now accused of shooting an elderly man in a wheelchair in Seattle. Read:
One thing that was not pointed out is that Timm backed up in order to draw his gun and shoot. He had a clear line of retreat and should have taken it to easily outrun a guy in a wheelchair. There was never any reason to draw a gun, let alone shoot a disabled person. Stuff like this makes responsibly armed citizens look bad. We all need to think before exposing our guns because one bad move is a bad move for all of us.
Not to difficult to defuse the situation by walking away but instead he chooses to shoot a man in a wheel chair . This is not self defense due to the fact he provoked it by taking property that was not his and not leaving after he caused the situation to escalate .
Based on the linked video alone, the shooter is in for some serious legal troubles. Neither party were moving at the time and the distance between the two was within threat range for a mobile person with a knife but not so much for the disabled person, the shooter had ample time to weigh the threat upon himself or bystanders (self defense is valid in WA for protection of self and others), the shooter could have walked away/entered a nearby business (there is no duty to retreat in WA and doors may have been locked, though unlikely given video evidence).… Read more »
Seems like both parties are wrong here. Pull patches off my jacket after threatening me and I might still walk away from you although I personally can’t do that anymore. Try putting hands on me and you will be answered. That is assault and you will be answered. Looks like guy #2 viewed this as assault and that is why he pulled the knife. I would have done the same thing in the same circumstance. Clearly guy #2 was defensive at this point. Pull a knife on me while you are in a wheel chair and I will walk away.… Read more »
regardless of who’s in the right and who is wrong, jurors will decide the outcome. (Someone is pulling their gun on you and in a rapid 5 second move you pull yours and fire 1 consecutive shot? Then put your gun away while the perpetrator is alive with their gun in hand. Doesn’t pass the I’m in fear for my life test.
The guy with the gun is in deep trouble. He obviously shouldn’t have had a CCW because he has a dangerously short fuse.
Even if he hadn’t been the aggressor by taking the victims veteran patch he still wouldn’t have a valid claim of self defense; because, he or any bystander were in danger of bodily harm. The victim couldn’t have closed the distance between the shooter or bystander. Even if the victim had used the non-lethal handgun there is no justification to fire before it was aimed at someone.
If I understand correctly, theft of a “personal item” can elevate crime from misdemeanor to felony. “Personal items” include such as a hat or other item of clothing and I imagine a valor patch would qualify if it was on someone’s clothing. Victim might have fared better continuing to use words instead of drawing the knife, though details of the interaction are unclear. In any case attacking someone in a wheelchair is only slightly above harming small children. In other words every single bystander would have been justified in ending the attach decisively. Not that I’d advocate for such behavior… Read more »
Some people just can’t handle the “sugar high” that results from consuming Starbucks products. Believe it or not, Starbucks was once known for their coffee.