EPHRATA — A 39-year-old Ephrata man was shot while trying to enter property he lived on early Thursday morning. Kyle Foreman, public information officer with the Grant County Sheriff’s Office, said the motive behind the shooting is still unclear. 

“Detectives haven’t had an opportunity to interview the victim. We don’t know what happened,” Foreman said.  

The incident occurred at about 1 a.m. in the 13000 block of Road A.5 Northwest, Foreman said in a GCSO press release.  

“As the victim was unlocking the gate to enter the property, the suspect, a 39-year-old-man who is the property owner, came out of the house, walked to the victim and shot the victim once at close range with a handgun,” Foreman said.  

Neither the victim nor the suspect have been identified. 

The suspect apparently had walked back into the house, and it was surrounded by GCSO deputies and Ephrata Police Department officers.  

“After several hours of trying to communicate with the suspect, the Moses Lake Regional Tactical Response Team entered and searched the house and every dwelling on the (property). The suspect was not found,” Foreman said. 

The search was completed about 7 a.m. How and when the suspect left the property has not been determined, Foreman said. 

Officers from the Quincy Police Department, Adams County Sheriff’s Office and the Kittitas County Sheriff also responded to the scene, along with Lifeline Ambulance, Foreman said. 

Anyone with information about the case are asked to contact GCSO, 509-762-1160 and reference case No. 26GS00501.  

Editor's Note: This story has been updated throughout with the most recent available information.