Sunday, May 18, 2008

Toppenish- Surenos shoot up Norteno house

Toppenish -- Sade Malloy, Action News says, "To put into perspective how many shootings have happened here on the 600 block of East First Avenue, I was here on Thursday doing a story about the brown house because it had been shot at three times in five days in drive-by shootings. Toppenish Police say that's because Norteno gang members are moving into a Sureno gang area and now the shootings are continuing."

Toppenish Police say that shots were fired Saturday night at 9:20 in the evening on the 600 block of East First Avenue. No one was injured, but police say the incident was gang related.

Then, just 40 minutes later police were called to the Toppenish Community Hospital to investigate the victim of a gunshot wound. A 19 year old man had been struck in the hip.

Then right before midnight here on 'H' Street shots were fired again.

Victims tell police they were standing in their yard when a Dodge truck drove by and the occupants fired 10-13 shots.

While investigating Saturday night's shootings, Toppenish Police arrested one person right in front of us.

Sgt. Jake Church tells Action News that they've arrested almost a dozen people involved in gangs.

A concerned citizen, Santiago Ramos told us , "It's gone too far now, this town is getting worse and worse."

Police are unsure if all of Saturday night's shootings are connected.

The one thing they did confirm was that the first shooting is related to the East First Avenue drive-bys that happened earlier in the week.

Resident Jessica Beasley commented "What if someone comes down the road next thing you know I get shot."

Jessica is expressing what several Toppenish homeowners were too scared to tell us on camera: enough is enough.

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Toppenish gang crimes connected


By Maria Medina
TOPPENISH -- A spike in gang crime in Toppenish in the last week is mostly happening at one home, according to investigators.

Police said three out of four incidents in the last few days are all connected, and happened on the 600 block of East 1st Ave.

On Saturday, police responded to a drive-by. Investigators said someone had shot through the living room. Then Tuesday, four more shots were fired at the home and someone had also tossed a firebomb.

Investigators said young kids live at the home.