KPTV reported a jury found Travis Ward guilty of first-degree murder in the Vancouver Mall Halloween shooting.

Thursday's guilty findings and the not-guilty firearm count are the jury's verdict. Nov. 20 is the sentencing date. A mandatory life sentence is what KPTV says the murder conviction carries in Washington. It is the exposure on that count. It is not a term the station says the judge imposed Thursday.

KPTV reported Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026, in a story by FOX 12 Staff published at 12:13 p.m. PDT, that a jury found Travis Ward guilty in connection with the deadly 2024 shooting at the Vancouver Mall. The station reported that on Thursday jurors found 32-year-old Ward guilty of first-degree murder, first-degree assault, witness tampering, and second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm. It reported he was found not guilty of one charge of unlawful possession of a firearm. The guilty firearm count is printed as second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm. The not-guilty count is printed as one charge of unlawful possession of a firearm. Those are not the same words. A guilty count and a not-guilty count are not the same finding.

The shooting happened on Halloween night in 2024, KPTV reported. The station reported James Perez died at the mall and two other men were injured. It reported the two injured men testified during the trial. It reported one was shot in the foot and the other was shot in the stomach. The station did not print their names.

KPTV reported Ward's girlfriend also testified. It did not print her name. It reported she said Ward called her from jail and asked her to get rid of his clothes from that night. It reported she said he also asked her not to show up for court, even if she was subpoenaed. It reported she said he told her "not to go against him" if she was asked to testify.

KPTV reported family members of the victims were in court for the verdict. It reported that, when asked for a reaction, they said they were saving their comments for Ward's sentencing, which is scheduled for Nov. 20. The station reported a first-degree murder conviction in Washington state comes with a mandatory life sentence. Nov. 20 is the sentencing date. The mandatory life term is what the station says that conviction carries. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.