Shooting death may be an accident

A shooting early Thursday morning that claimed the life of a Dayton teen and sparked an eight-hour manhunt for the alleged killer, appears to have been accidental, investigators said.

Detectives Bob Motamenpour said friends Donald Lee Davis, 21, of Carson City, and Zack Warren, 18, had joined two other friends at a home at 4900 Carson River Road to "party," when the two began to "playfully" call each other names.

He said during the exchange Davis allegedly pulled from his waistband a gun "he'd been playing with off and on all day," and pointed it at Warren.

After more "banter" between the two, Davis pulled the trigger, said Lt. Bob White.

A single bullet entered Warren's head above his left eye. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

While one of the witnesses called 911, Davis allegedly ran out the back door, said Detective Cate Summers.

"He told (the witnesses) he was afraid he'd get into trouble for being an ex-felon and having a gun," she said.

For the next eight hours, deputies tracked Davis, just missing him in several locations, said Lt. Ken Sandage.

"We were only 15 to 20 minute behind him the whole time," he said.

Sandage said just after the shooting, Davis called a friend who picked him up and dropped him off at his apartment on Allouette Drive.

There, Davis allegedly changed clothes, spoke to his stepbrother and wrote two letters before heading out on foot again, Summers said.

SWAT and patrol deputies searched from Roop to Mountain streets and from Fifth Street to College Parkway after a reported sighting of Davis walking toward the Carson City pool, a main street casino worker saying she was approached by someone matching Davis' description asking for a ride to Reno, a possible sighting in a cab and in bushes, and a suggestion Davis might try to catch a bus to Reno.

Lt. White said he was ultimately captured because his stepbrother was talking with detectives when Davis called and the number was traced to a home on Corbett Street.

The tenant at Corbett Street told investigators Davis had used her phone then left with a friend that works at Meek's Lumber and Hardware.

When investigators went to the North Carson Street store about 9 a.m., they found Davis in a rear shop. He was arrested without incident and declined to answer detective's questions.

"From what we can see so far from the witness statements, the defendant was the second most surprised person in the room when the gun went off. Nobody expected it to be loaded at the time it was fired," said District Attorney Noel Waters. "Once we get the full reports from everybody we can always amend the charges to be more, but at this point it looks to be an unintentional shooting."

Davis is being held on suspicion of felony involuntary manslaughter and being a felon in possession of a firearm. His bail is set at $200,000.

• Contact reporter F.T. Norton at ftnorton@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1213.