The Clallam County Sheriff’s Office is investigating video in an attempt to identify vehicles and people who may have harassed a family in Forks last week. The multiracial family was traveling in a white school bus as seen in this surveillance video image. (Clallam County Sheriff’s Office)

The Clallam County Sheriff’s Office is investigating video in an attempt to identify vehicles and people who may have harassed a family in Forks last week. The multiracial family was traveling in a white school bus as seen in this surveillance video image. (Clallam County Sheriff’s Office)

Investigation attempting to ID suspects on video

Clallam County has contacted FBI in its investigation

FORKS — Authorities planned to release today a portion of a video showing the alleged harassment of a multiracial Spokane family who were mistakenly believed to be members of Antifa at a West End store.

The Clallam County Sheriff’s Office identified “several” persons of interest from the Wednesday incident that began at Forks Outfitters and continued to the A Road north of the city, Chief Criminal Deputy Brian King said Monday.

No arrests had been made.

“There’s no obvious criminal harassment on the video,” King said in a telephone interview.

“We’re still attempting to identify everybody in the video, but a lot of our investigation is really shifting and focusing on the tree-cutting and what happened up the A Road.”

King said the video would be posted on the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page on Monday.

Social media posts had erroneously said that Antifa, which President Donald Trump has blamed for escalating nationwide protests against racial injustice into violence, was busing members to the North Olympic Peninsula last week.

Members of the Spokane family— a husband and wife, their 16-year-old daughter and the husband’s mother who were traveling in a converted school bus — said they were confronted by several people in the parking lot when they stopped for camping supplies.

“We think that the video will paint a clear picture of at least what the initial contact was like,” King said.

Several vehicles, some with armed occupants, followed the family’s school bus to their campsite on U.S. Forest Service land off the A Road, the family told deputies.

Alder trees were illegally cut along the road, blocking the family’s exit, the Sheriff’s Office has said.

“This is really a series of events with not all of the same individuals involved throughout the course of the whole incident,” King said in a telephone interview.

“That’s created some of the challenges in investigating this. Some folks were only at the initial contact and didn’t have any involvement after that.”

Four Forks High School students used chainsaws to clear the trees from the roadway, allowing the visitors to leave.

“We continue to actively investigate and conduct interviews,” King said.

“We have been in communication with the FBI,” King added.

“They’re eager to participate in the investigation if the facts and circumstances determine that there was a federal crime committed.”

Sheriff’s investigators were trying to obtain more surveillance video from businesses in and around Forks, King said.

The Sheriff’s Office posted an image Monday showing at least four vehicles following the school bus.

“We are seeking information in regards to who the vehicles are associated with and who may have been in the vehicles at the time this photograph was taken,” according to the post.

Anyone with information on the case is asked to phone the Sheriff’s Office Tip Line at 360-417-2540 or leave an anonymous tip on the Sheriff’s website at www.clallam.net/sheriff.

The four students who helped the family had not been named by law enforcement.

“I think that we need to reach out to them and be sure that they’re comfortable with that just because of the potential that they’re going to be contacted by a whole lot of people,” King said.

“I don’t know that that’s something that they necessarily want.”

Forks Mayor Tim Fletcher posted an audio message Monday about the incident on the city’s website, www.forkswashington.org.

The Forks City Council was expected to discuss the case at its regular meeting Monday night.

“As we sort through the events of June 3 and allow our county sheriff to complete his investigation, I hope my City Council will join me tonight and apologize formally to this family and ask for their forgiveness so that we can begin to heal,” Fletcher said in the audio clip.

The alleged harassment was published on regional and national news sites.

“We found our community thrust into the nation’s spotlight by individuals that thought they were protecting our community from some outside destructive terrorist group,” Fletcher said.

“They should have relied on our local law enforcement to take care of any perceived threats to our community, real or totally imagined, but instead, they took things into their own hands, and that has never been good for anyone.”

Fletcher said he would support decisions made by the Sheriff’s Office.

“My community will be a better place after this,” he said.

Fletcher said he joined a protest in Forks on Sunday against racism and discrimination. The protest was the latest in a series of peaceful demonstrations on the North Olympic Peninsula.

“I have chosen to be a leader and not a follower of social media instigators,” Fletcher said.

“If you do not like this leader, it is your right to choose someone else this next local election cycle.”

Fletcher ended his statement by asking community members to volunteer.

“Stay Forks Strong,” he said.

________

Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.

More in News

Tamara Clinger decorates a tree with the theme of “Frosted Cranberries” on Monday at the Vern Burton Community Center in Port Angeles. The helping hand is Margie Logerwell. More than three dozen trees will be available for viewing during the 34th annual Festival of Trees event this weekend. Tickets are available at www.omhf.org. (Dave Logan/for Peninsula Daily News)
Finishing touches

Tamara Clinger decorates a tree with the theme of “Frosted Cranberries” on… Continue reading

Grants to help Port Angeles port upgrades

Projects, equipment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions

Joseph Molotsky holds Jet, a Harris’s hawk. Jet, 14 or 15, has been at Discovery Bay Wild Bird Rescue for about seven years. Jet used to hunt with a falconer and was brought to the rescue after sustaining injuries while attempting to escape an attack from a gray horned owl in Eastern Washington. (Elijah Sussman/Peninsula Daily News)
Wild bird rescue to host open house

Officials to showcase expanded educational facilities

Jaiden Dokken, Clallam County’s first poet laureate, will wrap up their term in March. Applications for the next poet laureate position, which will run from April 2025 to March 2027, are open until Dec. 9. To apply, visit NOLS.org/NextPoet. (North Olympic Library System)
Applications open for Clallam poet laureate

Two-year position will run from April 2025 to March 2027

The YMCA of Port Angeles was May recipient of Jim’s Cares Monthly Charity at Jim’s Pharmacy in Port Angeles.
Staff and customers raised more than $593 to support the YMCA.
Pictured, from left, are Joey Belanger, the YMCA’s vice president for operations, and Ryan French, the chief financial officer at Jim’s Pharmacy.
Charity of the month

The YMCA of Port Angeles was May recipient of Jim’s Cares Monthly… Continue reading

Festival of Trees QR code.
Contest: Vote for your favorite Festival of Trees

The Peninsula Daily News is thrilled to announce its first online Festival… Continue reading

The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office uses this armored vehicle, which is mine-resistant and ambush protected. (Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office)
OPNET to buy armored vehicle

Purchase to help with various situations

Lincoln High School students Azrael Harvey, left, and Tara Coville prepare dressing that will be part of 80 Thanksgiving dinners made from scratch and sold by the Salish Sea Hospitality and Ecotourism program. All meal preparation had to be finished by today, when people will pick up the grab-and-go meals they ordered for Thursday’s holiday. (Paula Hunt/Peninsula Daily News)
Students at Wildcat Cafe prepare Thanksgiving dinners

Lincoln High School efforts create 80 meals ready to eat

D
Peninsula Home Fund celebrates 35 years

New partnership will focus on grants to nonprofits

A mud slide brought trees down onto power lines on Marine Drive just each of the intersection with Hill Street on Monday. City of Port Angeles crews responded and restored power quickly. (Dave Logan/for Peninsula Daily News)
Downed trees

A mud slide brought trees down onto power lines on Marine Drive… Continue reading

Photographers John Gussman, left, and Becky Stinnett contributed their work to Clallam Transit System’s four wrapped buses that feature wildlife and landscapes on the Olympic Peninsula. The project was created to promote tourism and celebrate the beauty of the area. (Paula Hunt/Peninsula Daily News)
Iconic Peninsula images wrap Clallam Transit buses

Photographers’ scenes encompass community pride

Housing identified as a top priority

Childcare infrastructure another Clallam concern