A 27-year-old Amazon delivery driver shot a U.S. Postal Service letter carrier in the face with a .22 Magnum revolver after a dispute over space in an apartment mailroom, federal prosecutors allege.
Blake Kuhlman was arrested at the scene following the October 2025 shooting at West Mall Place Apartments in Everett, Washington, according to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington. The case was originally charged locally before being dismissed and refiled in federal court.
Background
The shooting occurred in what prosecutors described as a "small mailroom" where both sides open only leaving a narrow passage through the hall. To mitigate crowding, the apartment complex had allowed the victim to post a sign directing people to use another door while USPS made deliveries.
Investigators spoke with the letter carrier at a hospital after he lost an eye as a result of the shooting. The postal worker told investigators he had worked the same delivery route for six years and typically waited for Amazon drivers or directed them to an alternate entrance.
"I got to the apartment to do my normal delivery like I always do," the victim told investigators, according to the complaint. "I heard an Amazon driver pull up... He propped the door open, and I had said to him that I thought it was loud enough for him to hear, I said, you are not allowed to pass through here while I'm delivering."
The carrier stated Kuhlman smirked at him, grabbed his packages, and walked directly toward him. "He pushed me back, like, four feet," the victim told investigators. "Naturally, I defended myself. I said, what are you doing, man. I pushed him back. I said, get your hands off of me."
The Charges
Prosecutors allege Kuhlman responded by pulling out a .22 Magnum revolver and opening fire during an alleged scuffle. The victim survived but lost his eye.
"He f---ing shot me in the face," the USPS worker told investigators. "After he did that, he stood over the top of me for, like, five seconds and just stared at me."
Kuhlman has been charged with attempted murder of a federal employee, assault of a federal employee, and using a firearm during a crime of violence.
When arrested by the Everett Police Department, Kuhlman was wearing body armor under his Amazon uniform shirt. Officers seized his .22 Magnum revolver loaded with "snake shot" ammunition—specialized rounds containing lead pellets encased in a plastic capsule—as well as a 9 mm Glock 19 pistol with three 27-round capacity magazines and an approximately 5-inch fixed-blade knife.
During questioning, Kuhlman allegedly admitted to shooting the victim but claimed he felt threatened and acted in self-defense. He told investigators he had attended firearms courses at the Washington State Criminal Justice Center and previously desired to become a bail enforcement officer.
Prosecutors say Kuhlman made statements suggesting the postal worker was part of a "mafia" and possibly on drugs, and claimed the FBI was targeting him despite instructing him to stop filing complaints about alleged surveillance.
Key Takeaways
- The shooting allegedly occurred after the USPS carrier told Kuhlman he could not pass through the mailroom while deliveries were being made
- Kuhlman was armed with body armor, a .22 Magnum revolver loaded with snake shot rounds, and a 9mm Glock with high-capacity magazines
- The victim lost his eye as a result of the shooting but survived
- This was reportedly the first time the letter carrier had encountered Kuhlman despite years on the same route
What's Next
Kuhlman is scheduled to appear in federal court for a preliminary examination on July 21. He remains in custody pending those proceedings.