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Folklife Festival Shooting Victims Recovering

Posted: 7:42 am PDT May 27, 2008Updated: 6:21 pm PDT May 27, 2008

Two of the people wounded in a weekend shooting at the Folklife Festival are at home and are relying on friends to help them during their recovery, they told KIRO 7 Eyewitness News.

Sarah Thorsnes and Joshua Penaluna were struck by a bullet fired during a fight between two men Saturday night. The bullet went through a man's nasal passage, passed through Penaluna's wrist bone and lodged in Thorsnes's leg.

Clinton Grainger, 22, is accused of firing the gun. He is being held in the King County Jail on suspicion of three counts of assault.

Grainger's father told KIRO 7 Eyewitness News his son wants Thorsnes and Penaluna to know he's sorry.

"I did hear that, and I was appreciative that he did show some concern for the victims and we are doing better. You know, it's still not exactly what I would call good. We can't really do anything for ourselves. We have our friends here helping us get through," Thorsnes said.

"If he really is sorry, that's cool. It really doesn't change anything," Penaluna said.

Thorsnes and Penaluna have a lot of recovery left to do but are remarkably positive about the ordeal, said reporter Michelle Millman.

The condition of the third victim has not been released.

Grainger's father said his son has a concealed weapons permit because he's been attacked before -- which is what he said happened on Saturday night, when a man tackled his son after an argument and his gun came out of his ankle holster.

"He works, he lives with me, and he's not a flight risk. I don't believe 'cause he's under doctor's care and he couldn't leave if he wanted to," said Gary Grainger during a court appearance for his son over the weekend.

Prosecutors said Grainger is under doctor's care because he has schizophrenia and is in a methadone program.

Grainger was given a bail of $350,000.

A spokesman for the Folklife Festival said that this is the first major violence to occur in the 37-year-old history of the event.

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