Wash. educator shot dead while showering on stranger's property
Nathaniel Rosa, 31, had been working as a teaching assistant at Woodmoor Elementary in Bothell since July 2015. (Facebook)
BY Nancy Dillon Monday, April 3, 2017, 5:26 PM
A possibly intoxicated man who broke into a property and was using its shower when the owner shot him dead through the curtain has been identified as a beloved elementary school educator.
Nathaniel Rosa, 31, was killed Saturday morning inside the bathroom of a property in Belfair, Wash., police said.
The owner of the property — identified as Bruce Fanning, 59 — was arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder and was due for arraignment Monday afternoon, authorities said.
A spokesman for the Mason County Sheriff's Office said the incident unfolded in a structure near the property owner's main residence that was used for an internet business about 40 miles southwest of Seattle.
"The individual walks over, sees his screen in his yard and notices the door is kicked in. He goes in, hears the shower and goes in and yells at the guy to get off his property. The individual pops his head out of the shower, and the owner said it seemed like he was drunk," Chief Deputy Ryan Spurling told the Daily News Monday.
"The owner then walked back to his main residence, went upstairs, got a gun, came back down, walked back over to the other property, saw the individual was still there and shot through the curtain four times and killed the individual," Spurling said.
He said Washington has self-defense laws that protect property owners, but use of deadly force must be necessary and reasonable.
"There's no duty to retreat, but at this point, the owner did retreat. Then he came back and reintroduced himself to the situation and shot," he said. "Based on what he knew at the time and what he told us, it didn't fit self-defense."
Fanning called 911 after shooting Rosa, authorities said Monday.
The victim had no criminal record and was a teacher of special needs children.
Rosa had been working as a teaching assistant at Woodmoor Elementary in Bothell since July 2015, the school said.
"This is a devastating loss for our school community," Woodmoor Principal Angela Kerr wrote in an email to school families obtained by The News.
"Nate was a compassionate and dedicated educator who made a difference in the lives of many and will be dearly missed. I trust that the gift of his contagious smile and exuberant approach to learning will live on," Superintendent Michelle Reid wrote in a similar letter.
A man who picked up the phone for Rosa's mom said she didn't want to comment.
"I'm sure you can understand what the family is going through. He was a great guy. You can read hundreds of comments about him on Facebook," the man said.
Indeed, friends posted heartfelt Facebook tributes to Rosa, praising his big heart.
"The most compassionate and caring person I have ever known in my entire life. You're the only person I ever wanted to do forever with," wrote Pamela Elizabeth Lyons.
"I don't think I ever heard you say one negative thing about anyone nor did I hear anyone say anything negative about you. You will be greatly missed," friend Craig Jewell said.
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