ROYAL CITY - Grant County Deputies are investigating a man's death and the discovery of a suspected cockfighting operation at the same location.

Deputies and Emergency Medical Services were summoned at around 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 7, to a home in the 6800 block of Frenchman Hills Road West. A caller reported a man had shot himself.

Deputies found a 24-year-old man with a gunshot wound to the head. Emergency medical technicians from Grant County Fire Districts Nos. 3 and 10 and Protection 1 ambulance treated the man.

The man was flown by MedStar helicopter to Kadlec Medical Center in Richland. where he died a short time later. His body was turned over to the Benton County Coroner, who will determine cause and manner of death and confirm the man's identity.

Deputies are investigating but early information suggests the man committed suicide.

While they were investigating the death, deputies discovered evidence of a suspected cockfighting operation at the scene, and served a search warrant on the property the next morning. Evidence collected includes cockfighting knives, roosters physically altered for cockfighting, drug paraphernalia and firearms.

The investigation continues. Anyone with information about the suspected cockfighting operation should contact Deputy Larry Ledeboer at 509-754-2011 ext. 468, or send information to [email protected]. Tipsters can remain anonymous