An Everett delivery driver is accused of shooting a federal employee after a dispute over access to a crowded apartment mailroom.

EVERETT, Wash. — A Washington delivery driver accused of shooting a U.S. Postal Service letter carrier in the face during an argument inside an apartment mailroom is now being prosecuted in federal court, where the case includes an attempted-murder charge tied to the carrier’s federal employment.

Blake Michael Kuhlman, 27, was initially prosecuted in Snohomish County after the Oct. 3, 2025, shooting at the West Mall Place Apartments in Everett. The state case was dismissed in July as federal authorities assumed responsibility for the prosecution. A federal criminal case was filed July 15 in the Western District of Washington, court listings show. The federal allegations include attempted murder of a federal employee, assault of a federal employee and use of a firearm during a crime of violence. The charges are allegations, and Kuhlman has not been convicted.

The change in venue did not arise from a new shooting or a newly identified suspect. Instead, it shifted an existing prosecution from Washington state court into the federal system because the injured man was performing duties for the Postal Service. Federal law protects postal workers and other federal employees from assaults connected to their official work. The transition also meant the dismissal of the earlier state assault case rather than the end of the prosecution. Kuhlman made an initial federal court appearance in early July, and a court calendar later listed an arraignment for July 23 in Seattle.

The federal complaint describes a confrontation in a small mailroom where the postal carrier had opened banks of mailboxes to make his regular delivery. With the units open, the remaining passage was narrow. The apartment complex had allowed the carrier to post a sign directing other delivery workers to use another entrance while he sorted mail, according to the complaint. The carrier told investigators that drivers for other services usually waited for him to finish or went around the building. He said he had worked the route for about six years and had not encountered Kuhlman before that day.

According to the carrier’s account, Kuhlman entered while delivering packages associated with Amazon and continued through the work area despite being told not to pass. The carrier said Kuhlman pushed him backward, prompting the carrier to push back and tell him to remove his hands. Prosecutors allege that Kuhlman then drew a .22 Magnum revolver and fired into the carrier’s face. The carrier survived but lost an eye. He told investigators that Kuhlman remained above him briefly after the shot rather than immediately leaving the room.

Kuhlman gave investigators a different explanation for the final moments before the gunfire. Police records say he acknowledged firing the weapon but maintained that he acted in self-defense. He said the postal worker pushed him first and that he believed the man was about to rush or tackle him while he was in a confined area. That account remains a defense assertion rather than a finding by a judge or jury. A witness cited in local police records described an argument and physical contact before reporting that the delivery driver drew a pistol and fired.

The competing versions place the legal focus on more than the fact that Kuhlman admitted firing the shot. Prosecutors would have to prove the elements of the federal offenses beyond a reasonable doubt, including the required state of mind for the attempted-murder allegation. The defense may seek to show that Kuhlman reasonably believed force was necessary to protect himself. The physical layout of the mailroom, the order of the pushing and the statements of the carrier, Kuhlman and any witnesses could therefore become central issues if the case proceeds to trial.

Authorities said Kuhlman stayed at the apartment complex and was arrested by Everett police. During a search, officers reported finding the .22 Magnum revolver, which was loaded with ammunition containing a small grouping of pellets. Investigators also said Kuhlman was carrying a Glock 19 pistol, extended-capacity magazines and a fixed-blade knife. Body armor was concealed beneath the shirt he wore while delivering packages, according to the court records. Another revolver and ammunition were reported inside the delivery vehicle.

The weapons and protective equipment became part of the prosecution’s account because investigators said Kuhlman had chosen what he carried before entering the mailroom. According to the complaint, he told detectives that he was familiar with firearms, had attended firearms-related training and had once considered becoming a bail-enforcement officer. He allegedly said he carried the smaller revolver because it could be deployed quickly and selected the pellet-style cartridges because they did not require the same degree of accuracy as a conventional round.

Investigators also documented statements that were not directly related to the physical disagreement over the doorway. Court records say Kuhlman described the postal carrier as possibly connected to a “mafia” and discussed a belief that the FBI was targeting him. Earlier state proceedings included a defense request for a mental health evaluation before the prosecution advanced. The available federal records do not establish how any past evaluation may affect the present case, and allegations about Kuhlman’s statements are not themselves proof of criminal intent or legal incompetence.

Amazon told a local television station after the shooting that Kuhlman worked for a delivery service partner rather than directly for Amazon. The company said its rules prohibit people delivering its packages from carrying weapons and that delivery partners must conduct background checks. Those company policies are separate from the criminal questions before the federal court. The public court materials reviewed for this report do not identify the delivery contractor or state whether it faced any administrative or civil consequences.

The carrier’s name was not included in the federal reporting that first disclosed the transfer, though an earlier local report identified him. This article is withholding his name because the federal case can be explained without further identifying a private victim who suffered a lasting injury. No reliable public account reviewed for this report described his current medical condition beyond the loss of an eye. The Postal Service also had not issued a detailed public statement in the material reviewed about his recovery or employment status.

Kuhlman’s federal case is listed as USA v. Blake Michael Kuhlman, case number CR26-127 in the Western District of Washington. A public court calendar identified U.S. Magistrate Judge Paula L. McCandlis for the July 23 arraignment setting. The accessible sources reviewed Aug. 4 did not provide a verified account of the plea entered at that proceeding, a later hearing date or a final resolution. Unless the case is resolved through a plea or dismissal, the allegations will remain subject to testing in federal court.

Author note: Last updated Aug. 4, 2026.