COBB, Calif. – A Middletown man has been taken into custody for allegedly shooting a Kelseyville resident during an attempted robbery Saturday night.

John Chester Cook, 33, was arrested in the case, according to Sgt. Steve Brooks of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.

At 8:05 p.m. Saturday sheriff’s deputies responded to a residence, located in the 9000 block of Highway 175 in Kelseyville, for a reported gunshot victim, Brooks said.

When deputies arrived at the residence, they were told by witnesses that their roommate stumbled into the residence and said he had been shot in the abdomen. Brooks said they also told deputies that they had already transported the victim to Sutter Lakeside Hospital for treatment. They were unable to provide any information as to who shot their roommate.  

Deputies responded to Sutter Lakeside Hospital and contacted the victim, who said he was hitchhiking on Highway 175 near Wildcat Road when he received a ride from three unknown male subjects, Brooks said. The subjects drove the victim to an area on Diamond Dust Trail off of Highway 175.

Brooks said the suspect sitting next to the victim said that he wanted his marijuana and everything else he had. The victim attempted to get out of the vehicle and started to struggle with the suspect sitting next to him.  

During the altercation the suspect fell out of the vehicle onto the ground where he continued to fight with the victim, Brooks said. The victim said he was standing over the suspect who was on his back, when the suspect drew a handgun and shot him once in the abdomen.  

The victim told deputies that he retreated to his residence and contacted his roommate, who drove him to the hospital, Brooks said.

During the course of the investigation, deputies were able to identify Cook as the person allegedly responsible for shooting the victim. Brooks said deputies later located Cook and the firearm believed to have been used in the shooting in the area of Loch Lomond. A check of the firearm revealed it had been reported stolen out of Clearlake.  

Cook was arrested for attempted robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, possession of stolen property, felon in possession of a firearm and carrying a loaded firearm in public, Brooks said.

Cook was transported to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility and booked, with a no bail hold set due to a misdemeanor bench warrant, according to jail records.