KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – In the wake of the death of a young Kelseyville man shot during a Friday night armed robbery, the shaken community has reacted with remembrances and an effort to raise a substantial reward.
Forrest Seagrave, a clerk at Mt. Konocti Gas and Mart – also known as “Store 24” – was shot in the chest at close range with a handgun during the nighttime robbery, as Lake County News has reported.
The assailant was described by witnesses as having worn dark clothing, including a hoodie, and a bandanna around his face.
After shooting Seagrave the male suspect was reported to have fled on foot across a nearby field, making away with a small amount of cash. He remained at large on Saturday.
Seagrave, who had worked at the store since 2006, was taken to Sutter Lakeside Hospital, where it was reported that he had died early Saturday morning.
A candlelight vigil in Seagrave's memory is scheduled to take place at Mt. Konocti Gas, located at 5475 Main St., beginning at 7 p.m. Saturday. Organizers are asking the community for donations to help Seagrave’s family.
County Supervisor Rob Brown, whose district includes the Kelseyville area, knew Seagrave, who had gone to Kelseyville High School at the same time as Brown's eldest son.
On Saturday morning Brown said he confirmed Seagrave's death with the Lake County Sheriff's Office, which had not yet put out a report on the shooting by early afternoon.
The gas station, which is temporarily closed for the investigation, was taped off shortly after the shooting, and sheriff's detectives along with Lake County District Attorney's Office investigators were working at the scene on Saturday. K-Corps was conducting a grid search of the field through which the suspect had fled.
On Saturday morning, Brown – who called the shooting a “senseless and tragic event” – began an effort to put together a $10,000 reward to lead to the arrest of the suspect.
In an email to community leaders, Brown wrote, “Not only is this sad for his family and our community, it is a frightening event in the seeming evolution of our little town as of late,” pointing out that the store is near Kelseyville High School.
Brown said the community needed to act, and he was beginning by raising the reward money to help the sheriff's office in its effort “to capture the animal that did this.”
He set as a goal a $10,000 reward, and by 1:30 p.m. said he had between $7,500 and $8,000 of it collected. Anyone wishing to donate can contact Brown at 707-349-2628.
Brown, who works as a bail bondsman, vowed to use his resources – both financial and his informants – to help capture the suspect.
Not long after it was reported he had died, Seagrave's Facebook page began to fill up with posts from his devastated friends, who wrote of their shock, sorrow and disbelief.
They also recalled his kindness, generosity and fun, paying tribute to his “heart of gold.”
Lake County News also was told by community members about Seagrave's courtesy to the store’s customers, including chivalrously walking women to their cars if he felt they needed protection.
Those posting on Seagrave’s Facebook page said he didn't have friends, he had family. He was generous, thoughtful, and concerned about those in his life.
His friend David Shary wrote, “Things like this never make sense. They never will. You were the nicest person I knew, the nicest person a lot of us knew.”
Shary told Lake County News in a separate message, “Whenever someone dies, everyone says the person was the kindest person alive. Well, in this case, it was actually true.”
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.