YAKIMA, Wash. - A 19-year-old man remains in custody at Yakima County Jail today after he allegedly shot another man in a Yakima parking lot Friday night.
Officers responded to a report of shots being fired at 11 p.m. on the 900 block of North Fourth Street, according to a news release from the Yakima Police Department. They found a 22-year-old man with a gunshot wound to the right side of his head.
The victim told police he was in a vehicle outside a business when a man entered from the passenger side, pulled out a gun and tried to rob him of cash, Sgt. Erik Hildebrand wrote in the news release. The victim fought back and grabbed the gun, but the suspect shot him in the right ear.
Hildebrand said the suspect thrust the gun into the victim’s stomach and tried to fire the gun again. However, the victim was able to disarm the man, who then took off running.
Officers found him and took him into custody. They identified the 19-year-old as a known gang member. He faces charges of 1st-degree assault and 1st-degree robbery.
The gun was recovered at the scene of the shooting and was later identified as being stolen.
The victim was treated at a local hospital and was later released.
- Yakima Herald-Republic
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2010/04/24/gang-member-in-custody-after-friday-night-shooting
Showing posts with label yakima. Show all posts
Showing posts with label yakima. Show all posts
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Yakima- 19 yo injured in shooting
YAKIMA, Wash. — Authorities are investigating a shooting early this morning in southeast Yakima that wounded a 19-year-old.
Yakima police responding to reports of gunfire about 1:05 a.m. found Jose C. Campos with multiple gunshot wounds inside his home in the 1300 block of South Seventh Avenue, Sgt. Tony Bennett wrote in a news release.
Witnesses told police that somebody shot at the victim from outside the home, Bennett wrote. No suspects have been identified. The shooting is considered gang-related.
Campos is being treated for his injuries. His condition could not be immediately determined this morning.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Yakima Police Department at 509-575-6200.
— Melissa Sánchez
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2010/04/13/19-year-old-injured-in-latest-shooting
Yakima police responding to reports of gunfire about 1:05 a.m. found Jose C. Campos with multiple gunshot wounds inside his home in the 1300 block of South Seventh Avenue, Sgt. Tony Bennett wrote in a news release.
Witnesses told police that somebody shot at the victim from outside the home, Bennett wrote. No suspects have been identified. The shooting is considered gang-related.
Campos is being treated for his injuries. His condition could not be immediately determined this morning.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Yakima Police Department at 509-575-6200.
— Melissa Sánchez
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2010/04/13/19-year-old-injured-in-latest-shooting
YPD probes farm workers' murder
YAKIMA, Wash. -- A 24-year-old farm worker was found shot dead in his home Sunday night and authorities say his girlfriend and vehicle are missing.
Mariano Guzman Moedana died from a single gunshot wound to the back of the head, said Yakima County Coroner Jack Hawkins.
He had already been dead for more than a day when a roommate found the body on the floor of his room at their apartment in the 1100 block of North Fourth Street, authorities said.
Yakima police Lt. Mike Merryman said it's too early to call the girlfriend a person of interest or a suspect in the homicide.
"Obviously, we need to talk to her. But we don't want to jump the gun," he said. "She could be a victim, too."
Merryman said there had been no reports of gunfire in the area in the days before Guzman Moedana was found.
Neighbors described him as calm and hard working. They said Guzman Moedana was from Pachuca, the capital city of Hidalgo state in central Mexico, and had been living with two or three other farm
workers in the same apartment complex for about three years.
Guzman Moedana's relatives in Mexico have been notified, authorities said.
Yakima police continue to investigate, Merryman said.
"We have no suspects and nobody under arrest," he said. "Hopefully we make an arrest soon.
His death marks the city's seventh homicide and the 10th in Yakima County so far this year.
"Our numbers are about the same as last year," Hawkins said. "I was really looking forward for the year to end so we can slow down.
This time last year, nine homicides had been recorded countywide. A total of 25 homicides were recorded in 2009.
* Melissa Sánchez can be reached at 509-577-7675 or msanchez@yakimaherald.com.
Mariano Guzman Moedana died from a single gunshot wound to the back of the head, said Yakima County Coroner Jack Hawkins.
He had already been dead for more than a day when a roommate found the body on the floor of his room at their apartment in the 1100 block of North Fourth Street, authorities said.
Yakima police Lt. Mike Merryman said it's too early to call the girlfriend a person of interest or a suspect in the homicide.
"Obviously, we need to talk to her. But we don't want to jump the gun," he said. "She could be a victim, too."
Merryman said there had been no reports of gunfire in the area in the days before Guzman Moedana was found.
Neighbors described him as calm and hard working. They said Guzman Moedana was from Pachuca, the capital city of Hidalgo state in central Mexico, and had been living with two or three other farm
workers in the same apartment complex for about three years.
Guzman Moedana's relatives in Mexico have been notified, authorities said.
Yakima police continue to investigate, Merryman said.
"We have no suspects and nobody under arrest," he said. "Hopefully we make an arrest soon.
His death marks the city's seventh homicide and the 10th in Yakima County so far this year.
"Our numbers are about the same as last year," Hawkins said. "I was really looking forward for the year to end so we can slow down.
This time last year, nine homicides had been recorded countywide. A total of 25 homicides were recorded in 2009.
* Melissa Sánchez can be reached at 509-577-7675 or msanchez@yakimaherald.com.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Yakima- teen shot in arm
YAKIMA, Wash. — A 17-year-old male was shot in the arm Sunday afternoon in what police believe was another gang-related shooting.
It happened about 1:50 p.m. in the area of Summitview and 30th avenues, Yakima police Sgt. Lloyd George wrote in a news release.
Authorities believe the teenager and his associates were in a gold Honda when someone in a blue or dark green Ford Explorer shot at them.
The teenager, who sustained gunshot wounds to his upper right arm and a grazing wound to the back of his head, initially told police that he and his friends were shot at while walking in the 1800 block of Summitview Avenue, the release said.
But police believe he was in the gold-colored Honda that witnesses had described in the area of 30th and Summitview avenues.
Authorities later impounded a gold Honda with several bullet holes in it.
Police are looking for the Ford Explorer, which has tinted windows. Witnesses told police the driver was a female and the male shooter was described as a bald Hispanic male.
The teenager’s wounds are considered nonlife-threatening.
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2010/04/11/few-details-about-sunday-shooting-in-yakima
It happened about 1:50 p.m. in the area of Summitview and 30th avenues, Yakima police Sgt. Lloyd George wrote in a news release.
Authorities believe the teenager and his associates were in a gold Honda when someone in a blue or dark green Ford Explorer shot at them.
The teenager, who sustained gunshot wounds to his upper right arm and a grazing wound to the back of his head, initially told police that he and his friends were shot at while walking in the 1800 block of Summitview Avenue, the release said.
But police believe he was in the gold-colored Honda that witnesses had described in the area of 30th and Summitview avenues.
Authorities later impounded a gold Honda with several bullet holes in it.
Police are looking for the Ford Explorer, which has tinted windows. Witnesses told police the driver was a female and the male shooter was described as a bald Hispanic male.
The teenager’s wounds are considered nonlife-threatening.
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2010/04/11/few-details-about-sunday-shooting-in-yakima
Friday, April 2, 2010
Yakima innocent shooting victim not expected to survive
YAKIMA, Wash. -- They'd heard gunshots in their neighborhood before. But never as loud as what they heard late Tuesday night.
The friends remember talking inside their small rental in the 700 block of North Naches Avenue before it happened.
Kyle Flerchinger, a 20-year-old from Idaho, stepped outside for a smoke. His girlfriend followed. Then came the gunfire.
"You never think something like this is going to happen so close, to somebody you know, especially in your backyard," said Joyce Speaks, who rents the small house with a neat, fenced-in backyard.
A bullet that strayed from a shooting a block away hit the back of Flerchinger's neck. Authorities don't expect him to survive.
Flerchinger remained on life support Wednesday evening at Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital. His mother flew in from Idaho to be with him. His friends are saying their good-byes at the hospital, Speaks said.
If he dies, he'll become the ninth homicide victim in Yakima County this year, the sixth within Yakima city limits. Two of the victims were considered unintended targets.
No arrests have been made in Tuesday's shooting.
Another man, identified by police as 21-year-old Arturo Galvez, was shot near the intersection of Sixth and G streets, where the confrontation occurred.
Yakima police Lt. Mike Merryman said Galvez, who may have gang ties, suffered at least two gunshot wounds in his back. Galvez was flown Tuesday night to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle and is expected to survive.
Flerchinger's friends say he and his girlfriend, Amanda Pennington, had been crashing for the past two months with Speaks and her family.
Speaks rents the home with her fiancé and four young children.
Flerchinger met his girlfriend three years ago through JobCorps. They had been living, until recently, in Orofino, Idaho, with his mother. The couple was in Yakima visiting Pennington's family and planned to return to Idaho in May.
"He was a really good kid, became a really good friend," Speaks said. "He was good with my kids."
Detectives are still investigating the shooting. Initial reports from Galvez's brother indicate that his sibling was confronted by someone whom he described as a gang member.
Flerchinger isn't the city's first innocent shooting victim. In the past month or so, authorities say, two other men were shot dead by bullets intended for somebody else.
On Feb. 27, James Kilby, 29, of Union Gap died at a local hospital after he was shot in a car outside a Yakima grocery store. Authorities believe a friend who had called Kilby for a ride home was the intended target.
A week later, David R. Duarte, 40, of Yakima was shot dead while riding in his nephew's car. Police say Duarte was not involved in gangs but his nephew belongs to one.
In October, just a few blocks from where Tuesday's shooting happened, another man was shot to death during a Halloween party. Authorities say Jason Baldoz, 34, was not a gang member, but the shooter is.
Arrests have been made in all three of those cases.
The tally of innocent people wounded in Yakima shootings in the past year includes: a 20-year-old farm
worker who made the mis-take of wearing red clothing; a 62-year-old man selling ice
cream bars from his bicycle cart; a 23-year-old Michigan woman sitting on a porch; and a 13-year-old girl doing homework in her bedroom.
* Melissa Sánchez can be reached at 509-577-7675 or msanchez@yakimaherald.com.
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2010/03/31/shooting-victim-hospitalized-in-critical-condition
The friends remember talking inside their small rental in the 700 block of North Naches Avenue before it happened.
Kyle Flerchinger, a 20-year-old from Idaho, stepped outside for a smoke. His girlfriend followed. Then came the gunfire.
"You never think something like this is going to happen so close, to somebody you know, especially in your backyard," said Joyce Speaks, who rents the small house with a neat, fenced-in backyard.
A bullet that strayed from a shooting a block away hit the back of Flerchinger's neck. Authorities don't expect him to survive.
Flerchinger remained on life support Wednesday evening at Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital. His mother flew in from Idaho to be with him. His friends are saying their good-byes at the hospital, Speaks said.
If he dies, he'll become the ninth homicide victim in Yakima County this year, the sixth within Yakima city limits. Two of the victims were considered unintended targets.
No arrests have been made in Tuesday's shooting.
Another man, identified by police as 21-year-old Arturo Galvez, was shot near the intersection of Sixth and G streets, where the confrontation occurred.
Yakima police Lt. Mike Merryman said Galvez, who may have gang ties, suffered at least two gunshot wounds in his back. Galvez was flown Tuesday night to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle and is expected to survive.
Flerchinger's friends say he and his girlfriend, Amanda Pennington, had been crashing for the past two months with Speaks and her family.
Speaks rents the home with her fiancé and four young children.
Flerchinger met his girlfriend three years ago through JobCorps. They had been living, until recently, in Orofino, Idaho, with his mother. The couple was in Yakima visiting Pennington's family and planned to return to Idaho in May.
"He was a really good kid, became a really good friend," Speaks said. "He was good with my kids."
Detectives are still investigating the shooting. Initial reports from Galvez's brother indicate that his sibling was confronted by someone whom he described as a gang member.
Flerchinger isn't the city's first innocent shooting victim. In the past month or so, authorities say, two other men were shot dead by bullets intended for somebody else.
On Feb. 27, James Kilby, 29, of Union Gap died at a local hospital after he was shot in a car outside a Yakima grocery store. Authorities believe a friend who had called Kilby for a ride home was the intended target.
A week later, David R. Duarte, 40, of Yakima was shot dead while riding in his nephew's car. Police say Duarte was not involved in gangs but his nephew belongs to one.
In October, just a few blocks from where Tuesday's shooting happened, another man was shot to death during a Halloween party. Authorities say Jason Baldoz, 34, was not a gang member, but the shooter is.
Arrests have been made in all three of those cases.
The tally of innocent people wounded in Yakima shootings in the past year includes: a 20-year-old farm
worker who made the mis-take of wearing red clothing; a 62-year-old man selling ice
cream bars from his bicycle cart; a 23-year-old Michigan woman sitting on a porch; and a 13-year-old girl doing homework in her bedroom.
* Melissa Sánchez can be reached at 509-577-7675 or msanchez@yakimaherald.com.
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2010/03/31/shooting-victim-hospitalized-in-critical-condition
Yakima- innocent shooting victim from Idaho dies
YAKIMA, Wash. — The Idaho man who was struck by a stray bullet Tuesday night in Yakima died early this morning after being taken off life support.
Yakima County Coroner Jack Hawkins said an autopsy on Kyle Flerchinger’s body may be scheduled as early as this afternoon. Several of his organs were able to be recovered for donation, Hawkins said.
Flerchinger, 20, becomes the ninth homicide victim in Yakima Couinty this yaar and the second innocent person to be shot and killed.
He had been at Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital since Tuesday night when he was hit by gunfire while smoking a cigarette. He was standing in the backyard of a home where he had been staying, in the 700 block of North Naches Avenue.
Police say a single bullet hit Flerchinger in the back of the neck from about a block away, near the intersection of Sixth and G Streets.
The gunfire may have been gang-related. Police said the bullet was intended for a 21-year-old man, who was hit at least twice in the back. He was taken to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, but he is expected to recover, police say.
Police are still investigating. Detectives have not announced any arrests or released any suspect information.
— Mark Morey
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2010/04/02/innocent-shooting-victim-from-idaho-dies
Yakima County Coroner Jack Hawkins said an autopsy on Kyle Flerchinger’s body may be scheduled as early as this afternoon. Several of his organs were able to be recovered for donation, Hawkins said.
Flerchinger, 20, becomes the ninth homicide victim in Yakima Couinty this yaar and the second innocent person to be shot and killed.
He had been at Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital since Tuesday night when he was hit by gunfire while smoking a cigarette. He was standing in the backyard of a home where he had been staying, in the 700 block of North Naches Avenue.
Police say a single bullet hit Flerchinger in the back of the neck from about a block away, near the intersection of Sixth and G Streets.
The gunfire may have been gang-related. Police said the bullet was intended for a 21-year-old man, who was hit at least twice in the back. He was taken to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, but he is expected to recover, police say.
Police are still investigating. Detectives have not announced any arrests or released any suspect information.
— Mark Morey
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2010/04/02/innocent-shooting-victim-from-idaho-dies
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Yakima City Council targets gangs
YAKIMA, Wash. — Gang houses and other problem properties could face stiff fines and extra scrutiny from police under a proposal being considered by the Yakima City Council.
The council held a study session Tuesday morning to consider how to deal with chronic nuisance properties. Members agreed to hold a public hearing soon to gather comments.
City Attorney Jeff Cutter presented the council with a draft ordinance modeled after one recently approved in Seattle.
Although much of the discussion focused on the proposed law’s application to gangs, Cutter said the standards could be applied to other locations “that are magnets for criminal activity or at least involve a lot of response from the police department.”
Nuisance properties would be defined as locations that yield three or more serious police calls within a two-month period or at least seven within a year.
Nuisance activity would be defined as violent crimes, drive-by shootings, prostitution and drug activity, among other examples.
The proposal would cover some of the same ground as legislation put forward this year by state Rep. Norm Johnson, R-Yakima. That measure failed to make it through the Senate over concerns about possible racial profiling and questions about whether parents would be unfairly forced out of their homes because of their children’s activity.
As originally introduced, House Bill 2414 would have classified criminal gang activity as a nuisance and provided a process for neighbors, a public agency or anyone within a one-block radius of a known gang hangout to file legal action to stop the activity.
The American Civil Liberties Union has also expressed concern about whether the Seattle ordinance is too broad, according to a memo from Cutter to the council.
City officials said the proposed ordinance would focus on calls or activity committed at a particular address, rather than criminal activity by residents there.
Police have already identified more than a dozen properties that may qualify for extra enforcement because of gang problems.
But deputy chief Kelly Rosenow and other city staff emphasized that the ordinance would have to be carefully managed and would require significant staff time.
“It’s going to take a lot of work on our part, but we also know we have to do something to take back our neighborhoods,” Rosenow told the council.
Direct expenses would be limited to mostly title searches, about $350 apiece, to verify ownership of a targeted property and mailing of notices.
Property owners would have 30 days to begin fixing issues identified by police — cleaning up the site or evicting tenants, for example — or they could be fined $500 a day. If the case made it to court, they could face a fine up to $25,000.
If the targeted location is a business, the ordinance allows the city to withdraw a business license or decline to renew it.
The council voted 7-0 to move the matter to a public hearing, with a vote on whether to approve the ordinance expected to follow. The date for the hearing has not been set.
Councilwoman Maureen Adkison said Yakima’s work on a nuisance ordinance may help push the Legislature to approve a similar statewide law.
“I think this shows that the city of Yakima is not going to roll over, that we are willing to do something on our own,” she said.
• Mark Morey can be reached at 509-577-7671 or mmorey@yakimaherald.com.
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2010/03/30/yakima-council-targets-gangs-with-proposed-ordinance
The council held a study session Tuesday morning to consider how to deal with chronic nuisance properties. Members agreed to hold a public hearing soon to gather comments.
City Attorney Jeff Cutter presented the council with a draft ordinance modeled after one recently approved in Seattle.
Although much of the discussion focused on the proposed law’s application to gangs, Cutter said the standards could be applied to other locations “that are magnets for criminal activity or at least involve a lot of response from the police department.”
Nuisance properties would be defined as locations that yield three or more serious police calls within a two-month period or at least seven within a year.
Nuisance activity would be defined as violent crimes, drive-by shootings, prostitution and drug activity, among other examples.
The proposal would cover some of the same ground as legislation put forward this year by state Rep. Norm Johnson, R-Yakima. That measure failed to make it through the Senate over concerns about possible racial profiling and questions about whether parents would be unfairly forced out of their homes because of their children’s activity.
As originally introduced, House Bill 2414 would have classified criminal gang activity as a nuisance and provided a process for neighbors, a public agency or anyone within a one-block radius of a known gang hangout to file legal action to stop the activity.
The American Civil Liberties Union has also expressed concern about whether the Seattle ordinance is too broad, according to a memo from Cutter to the council.
City officials said the proposed ordinance would focus on calls or activity committed at a particular address, rather than criminal activity by residents there.
Police have already identified more than a dozen properties that may qualify for extra enforcement because of gang problems.
But deputy chief Kelly Rosenow and other city staff emphasized that the ordinance would have to be carefully managed and would require significant staff time.
“It’s going to take a lot of work on our part, but we also know we have to do something to take back our neighborhoods,” Rosenow told the council.
Direct expenses would be limited to mostly title searches, about $350 apiece, to verify ownership of a targeted property and mailing of notices.
Property owners would have 30 days to begin fixing issues identified by police — cleaning up the site or evicting tenants, for example — or they could be fined $500 a day. If the case made it to court, they could face a fine up to $25,000.
If the targeted location is a business, the ordinance allows the city to withdraw a business license or decline to renew it.
The council voted 7-0 to move the matter to a public hearing, with a vote on whether to approve the ordinance expected to follow. The date for the hearing has not been set.
Councilwoman Maureen Adkison said Yakima’s work on a nuisance ordinance may help push the Legislature to approve a similar statewide law.
“I think this shows that the city of Yakima is not going to roll over, that we are willing to do something on our own,” she said.
• Mark Morey can be reached at 509-577-7671 or mmorey@yakimaherald.com.
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2010/03/30/yakima-council-targets-gangs-with-proposed-ordinance
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Yakima- dumb surenos shoot farm worker for wearing red
YAKIMA, WASH. -- A 20-year-old Yakima man faces specialized surgery to remove the bullet lodged in his neck from a Sunday evening shooting that apparently was prompted by his red clothing, police said Monday.
Initial reports suggested that the man, who described himself as a farm worker, was not a gang member. Detectives said they had not developed any information to contradict his report, but the investigation was going slowly due to a lack of information about possible suspects.
The man told police that a blue van pulled alongside his vehicle at a stop sign at Seventh and Adams streets. The van's passenger fired one roundjavascript:void(0), which hit him in the left shoulder.
The man drove himself to Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital.
Police said the man was expected to recover, but has been transferred to an unspecified medical facility for specialized surgery. Because of the bullet's sensitive location, doctors wanted to make sure they did not do more damage taking it out, Yakima police Sgt. Tony Bennett said.
The incident was the latest of several shootings involving apparently innocent victims since last summer, when gang-related shootings spiked in the Yakima Valley.
Last July, a stray shot from a gang fight struck the leg of a 23-year-old woman visiting from Lansing, Mich.
That shooting came just six days after a 13-year-old girl who lived two blocks down the same street in north-central Yakima was seriously injured when shots were fired into her Roosevelt Avenue home. Police said her family had no known gang connections.
Neither of those incidents were fatal, but in 2005 a shooting reportedly inspired by a red sweatshirt claimed the life of 21-year-old Octavio Abundiz Jr. in Yakima.
Friends said he was not a gang member. He worked as a cook and dreamed of a career in law enforcement, they said.
Bennett said residents should not be overly concerned about wearing red or blue clothing, noting that he often wears such shirts. But he said the incident highlights the need for parents to stay aware of what their children are wearing and who they are associating with.
Gang clothing generally involves multiple elements beyond the shirt, including certain types of pants, belts, shoes and shoelaces.
* Mark Morey can be reached at 509-577-7671 or mmorey@yakimaherald.com.
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2010/03/22/farm-worker-shot-while-wearing-red-needs-specialized-surgery
Initial reports suggested that the man, who described himself as a farm worker, was not a gang member. Detectives said they had not developed any information to contradict his report, but the investigation was going slowly due to a lack of information about possible suspects.
The man told police that a blue van pulled alongside his vehicle at a stop sign at Seventh and Adams streets. The van's passenger fired one roundjavascript:void(0), which hit him in the left shoulder.
The man drove himself to Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital.
Police said the man was expected to recover, but has been transferred to an unspecified medical facility for specialized surgery. Because of the bullet's sensitive location, doctors wanted to make sure they did not do more damage taking it out, Yakima police Sgt. Tony Bennett said.
The incident was the latest of several shootings involving apparently innocent victims since last summer, when gang-related shootings spiked in the Yakima Valley.
Last July, a stray shot from a gang fight struck the leg of a 23-year-old woman visiting from Lansing, Mich.
That shooting came just six days after a 13-year-old girl who lived two blocks down the same street in north-central Yakima was seriously injured when shots were fired into her Roosevelt Avenue home. Police said her family had no known gang connections.
Neither of those incidents were fatal, but in 2005 a shooting reportedly inspired by a red sweatshirt claimed the life of 21-year-old Octavio Abundiz Jr. in Yakima.
Friends said he was not a gang member. He worked as a cook and dreamed of a career in law enforcement, they said.
Bennett said residents should not be overly concerned about wearing red or blue clothing, noting that he often wears such shirts. But he said the incident highlights the need for parents to stay aware of what their children are wearing and who they are associating with.
Gang clothing generally involves multiple elements beyond the shirt, including certain types of pants, belts, shoes and shoelaces.
* Mark Morey can be reached at 509-577-7671 or mmorey@yakimaherald.com.
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2010/03/22/farm-worker-shot-while-wearing-red-needs-specialized-surgery
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Yakima- three arrested in task force raid
YAKIMA — Three people were arrested on drug-related charges Thursday when drug agents raided a home in the 5300 block of West Washington Avenue, authorities said.
Neighbors had complained that the house attracted heavy vehicle traffic — a common sign of drug activity — which had increased over the past year, according to Law Enforcement Against Drugs, the Yakima Valley drug task force that investigated the case.
A task force supervisor said customers came to the home primarily to buy cocaine, although marijuana and prescription drugs were also found when officers served a search warrant Thursday afternoon.
Two men and a woman were taken into custody. They are expected to face a variety of drug charges, including maintaining a drug house, the task force supervisor said.
More arrests may be made as the investigation continues, he said.
— Mark Morey
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2010/03/18/three-arrested-drugs-seized-at-west-yakima-home
Neighbors had complained that the house attracted heavy vehicle traffic — a common sign of drug activity — which had increased over the past year, according to Law Enforcement Against Drugs, the Yakima Valley drug task force that investigated the case.
A task force supervisor said customers came to the home primarily to buy cocaine, although marijuana and prescription drugs were also found when officers served a search warrant Thursday afternoon.
Two men and a woman were taken into custody. They are expected to face a variety of drug charges, including maintaining a drug house, the task force supervisor said.
More arrests may be made as the investigation continues, he said.
— Mark Morey
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2010/03/18/three-arrested-drugs-seized-at-west-yakima-home
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Yakima- third man arrested in fatal shooting
YAKIMA, Wash. -- Two men were arrested Wednesday as police continued their investigation into a fatal weekend shooting in Yakima.
One of those arrested, a 22-year-old man, is suspected of being the driver of the car that opened fire on a second vehicle last Saturday. During a preliminary court appearance Thursday, his bail was set at $2 million.
Police said they stopped him while he was driving near Sixth Street and Nob Hill Boulevard and later recovered a white Cadillac linked to the shooting. It was found under a cover in the backyard of a home in the 1200 block of West Washington Avenue, police said.
Police also arrested a 34-year-old man after searching his Tampico home, where they say they recovered a gun used in Saturday's killing. He was arrested on suspicion of being a felon in possession of a firearm, as well as possessing drugs, including about two pounds of marijuana.
His bail was set at $25,000.
Police earlier arrested 24-year-old Tomas Villegas, who they suspect was the gunman. He was arrested Tuesday afternoon and is being held on $2 million bail.
The arrests stem from the death of 40-year-old David R. Duarte of Selah. Duarte was riding with his nephew when he was shot multiple times near 16th and Washington avenues.
Duarte was apparently not involved with a gang. His nephew, who police call a gang member, was the intended target.
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2010/03/11/third-man-connected-to-shooting-is-arrested
One of those arrested, a 22-year-old man, is suspected of being the driver of the car that opened fire on a second vehicle last Saturday. During a preliminary court appearance Thursday, his bail was set at $2 million.
Police said they stopped him while he was driving near Sixth Street and Nob Hill Boulevard and later recovered a white Cadillac linked to the shooting. It was found under a cover in the backyard of a home in the 1200 block of West Washington Avenue, police said.
Police also arrested a 34-year-old man after searching his Tampico home, where they say they recovered a gun used in Saturday's killing. He was arrested on suspicion of being a felon in possession of a firearm, as well as possessing drugs, including about two pounds of marijuana.
His bail was set at $25,000.
Police earlier arrested 24-year-old Tomas Villegas, who they suspect was the gunman. He was arrested Tuesday afternoon and is being held on $2 million bail.
The arrests stem from the death of 40-year-old David R. Duarte of Selah. Duarte was riding with his nephew when he was shot multiple times near 16th and Washington avenues.
Duarte was apparently not involved with a gang. His nephew, who police call a gang member, was the intended target.
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2010/03/11/third-man-connected-to-shooting-is-arrested
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Yakima- homcide suspect surrenders after standoff
YAKIMA, Wash. -- Three days after a man was fatally shot while riding in his nephew's car in Yakima, authorities arrested the person they believe pulled the trigger.
The 24-year-old Yakima man surrendered Tuesday afternoon at a duplex in the 600 block of West Logan Avenue after a 30-minute standoff, Yakima police Lt. Mike Merryman said.
He is the primary suspect in Saturday's fatal shooting of David R. Duarte, 40, of Yakima. Police have not released the suspect's name, but Yakima County jail records show Tomas
Villegas was booked Tuesday on a first-degree murder charge.
"It went off without a hitch," said Merryman, as SWAT officers cleared the scene Tuesday afternoon. "We were sitting on this for a while. We wanted to wait until school got out and there weren't any kids in the street."
The duplex sits across South Sixth Avenue from Hoover Elementary School.
Duarte was riding in his 16-year-old nephew's car shortly before midnight Saturday near 16th and Washington avenues when a large white vehicle pulled up alongside them, authorities said. Somebody inside fired several shots, hitting Duarte in the head and chest.
The nephew, who has not been identified, pulled into a nearby parking lot and called police. Duarte was dead by the time officers arrived.
He was the sixth homicide victim in Yakima County this year and the fourth in the city of Yakima. Arrests have been made in all four Yakima homicides.
After Tuesday's arrest -- and as officers served a search warrant on the second duplex unit -- several dozen neighbors gathered in small groups around the yellow caution tape to talk about the Yakima Valley's gang problem.
Authorities have said Duarte was probably not involved in gangs, but his nephew is.
"I don't know what they're going to do about all this garbage," said Deryl Woody, who has lived for 40 years in a house around the block from the scene of Tuesday's arrest.
“Maybe (the city) ought to stop worrying about the public art and brick sidewalks and start taking care of this (s---) that’s going on. There’s priorities, and there’s priorities.”
• Melissa Sánchez can be reached at 509-577-7675 or msanchez@yakimaherald.com.
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2010/03/09/homicide-suspect-arrested-after-standoff
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Yakima - another homicide
YAKIMA, Wash. -- Another man was shot dead Saturday night, becoming Yakima County's third homicide victim in eight days.
David R. Duarte, 40, was shot in the head and chest about 11:55 p.m. while riding in a car near 16th and Washington avenues, Yakima police said.
No arrests have been made.
The Yakima man was a passenger in a car driven by his 16-year-old nephew on South 16th Avenue near Spokane Street when a large, white vehicle pulled up next to them, Capt. Greg Copeland wrote in a news release. Someone inside fired several shots, hitting Duarte twice.
The nephew, who was not identified, drove a short distance to South 15th and West Mead avenues, pulled into a parking lot and called police. When officers arrived, Duarte was dead.
Police don't believe Duarte was involved in gang activity but said his nephew is a gang member. Authorities said the shooter is most likely is a gang member.
Last weekend, two other men were fatally shot in separate, apparently unrelated incidents.
James Kilby, 29, of Yakima, was shot Feb. 27 while sitting in a car outside a Yakima supermarket. He later died at an area hospital and police have arrested two Seattle-area men on first-degree murder charges.
Also that night, Manuel Angel Garcia, 28, of Wapato was shot in the head from a drive-by bullet while sitting inside a friend's Wapato home. He died three days later at an area hospital. No arrests have been made.
An autopsy on Duarte will be conducted today, said Marshall Slight, Yakima County's deputy coroner.
Six homicides have been recorded in Yakima County this year, including four in the city of Yakima.
David R. Duarte, 40, was shot in the head and chest about 11:55 p.m. while riding in a car near 16th and Washington avenues, Yakima police said.
No arrests have been made.
The Yakima man was a passenger in a car driven by his 16-year-old nephew on South 16th Avenue near Spokane Street when a large, white vehicle pulled up next to them, Capt. Greg Copeland wrote in a news release. Someone inside fired several shots, hitting Duarte twice.
The nephew, who was not identified, drove a short distance to South 15th and West Mead avenues, pulled into a parking lot and called police. When officers arrived, Duarte was dead.
Police don't believe Duarte was involved in gang activity but said his nephew is a gang member. Authorities said the shooter is most likely is a gang member.
Last weekend, two other men were fatally shot in separate, apparently unrelated incidents.
James Kilby, 29, of Yakima, was shot Feb. 27 while sitting in a car outside a Yakima supermarket. He later died at an area hospital and police have arrested two Seattle-area men on first-degree murder charges.
Also that night, Manuel Angel Garcia, 28, of Wapato was shot in the head from a drive-by bullet while sitting inside a friend's Wapato home. He died three days later at an area hospital. No arrests have been made.
An autopsy on Duarte will be conducted today, said Marshall Slight, Yakima County's deputy coroner.
Six homicides have been recorded in Yakima County this year, including four in the city of Yakima.
Yakima- man confuses soccer players with gang members, opens fire
YAKIMA, Wash. — A man opened fire on a group of youngsters playing soccer Thursday night after asking if they were gang members, city police say.
The 13 children took off running, and a police report did not indicate any of them were hurt.
The 41-year-old suspect — who witnesses described as holding a beer and wearing a white beanie, with three dogs trailing behind him — was arrested nearby, according to the report.
He was booked into the Yakima County jail on suspicion of 13 counts of first-degree assault and was expected to make his first court appearance this afternoon.
Several officers responded about 9:30 p.m. to an area around the 400 block of East Spruce after several callers reported the shooting.
The victims told police they were playing soccer at the Union Gospel Youth Center when the man approached and asked whether they were gang members.
The youngsters said they were not, but the man pulled a gun, pointed it at them and fired six shots, the police report stated.
Officers found the man walking southbound on South Third Street at East Maple. The three dogs were still with him.
Five .38-caliber bullets were found on the suspect, but the gun was not recovered, police said.
— Mark Morey
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2010/03/05/yakima-police-arrest-man-for-firing-shots-at-kids-playing-soccer
The 13 children took off running, and a police report did not indicate any of them were hurt.
The 41-year-old suspect — who witnesses described as holding a beer and wearing a white beanie, with three dogs trailing behind him — was arrested nearby, according to the report.
He was booked into the Yakima County jail on suspicion of 13 counts of first-degree assault and was expected to make his first court appearance this afternoon.
Several officers responded about 9:30 p.m. to an area around the 400 block of East Spruce after several callers reported the shooting.
The victims told police they were playing soccer at the Union Gospel Youth Center when the man approached and asked whether they were gang members.
The youngsters said they were not, but the man pulled a gun, pointed it at them and fired six shots, the police report stated.
Officers found the man walking southbound on South Third Street at East Maple. The three dogs were still with him.
Five .38-caliber bullets were found on the suspect, but the gun was not recovered, police said.
— Mark Morey
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2010/03/05/yakima-police-arrest-man-for-firing-shots-at-kids-playing-soccer
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Yakima- murder charges filed against two suspects
YAKIMA, Wash. -- The two men accused in Saturday night's fatal shooting outside a Yakima supermarket were formally charged with murder Thursday in Yakima County Superior Court.
Jordan Dior Daisy, 21, of Seattle, and Ezra William Swann, 23, of Tukwila, Wash., were charged with first-degree murder, attempted murder and first-degree assault.
They are accused in the death of James Kilby, 27, of Union Gap, who was shot in the chest while sitting in a parked car outside Wray's supermarket at Third Avenue and Nob Hill Boulevard.
Authorities said a friend who had called Kilby to give him a ride was apparently the intended target of the attack.
Yakima police arrested Daisy and Swann on Tuesday in Seattle after tracing a phone number to the home of Daisy's mother.
Both men are being held in the Yakima County jail on $2 million bail.
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2010/03/04/murder-charges-filed-against-two-suspects
Jordan Dior Daisy, 21, of Seattle, and Ezra William Swann, 23, of Tukwila, Wash., were charged with first-degree murder, attempted murder and first-degree assault.
They are accused in the death of James Kilby, 27, of Union Gap, who was shot in the chest while sitting in a parked car outside Wray's supermarket at Third Avenue and Nob Hill Boulevard.
Authorities said a friend who had called Kilby to give him a ride was apparently the intended target of the attack.
Yakima police arrested Daisy and Swann on Tuesday in Seattle after tracing a phone number to the home of Daisy's mother.
Both men are being held in the Yakima County jail on $2 million bail.
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2010/03/04/murder-charges-filed-against-two-suspects
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
YAKIMA, Wash. — Two suspects were arrested Monday in Seattle in connection with a weekend homicide in Yakima.
Police say the primary suspect in the shooting death of James Kilby of Union Gap is a 21-year-old Seattle man.
He and the second suspect, a 23-year-old Seattle man, were arrested after Yakima detectives went to Seattle to watch his house.
The pair arrived there about 1 p.m. Monday in the same vehicle in which they are believed to have fled the shooting scene at the Wray’s grocery store on Third Avenue.
Detectives had tracked down the suspects based on telephone information, Yakima police Lt. Mike Merryman said without elaborating.
Kilby was fatally shot Saturday night after the suspects pinned in his vehicle as his passenger fled into the store, investigators say.
The 19-year-old passenger had called Kilby, who was his roommate, to pick him up after a dispute developed between him and the homicide suspects at a house near the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Nob Hill Boulevard.
The passenger was assaulted at that location, possibly in connection with a dispute over an informal rap music contest, police say.
“It’s becoming more and more apparent the driver of the car was simply there to pick up his friend — didn’t know what was going on,” Yakima police Lt. Mike Merryman said.
Previous reports have indicated that Kilby was a Kitsap County resident, but Merryman said he was most recently living in Union Gap. He had family ties across the state.
The suspects were booked into the King County jail on suspicion of first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder. They are expected to be returned soon to face the charges in Yakima County.
Merryman said detectives are still trying to identify and locate a third person who may have been involved in assaulting Kilby’s roommate.
Police said they waited to announce the arrests until this morning because detectives did not conclude their work in Seattle and return to Yakima until late Monday.
— Mark Morey
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2010/03/02/pair-suspected-in-shooting-death-arrested-in-seattle
Police say the primary suspect in the shooting death of James Kilby of Union Gap is a 21-year-old Seattle man.
He and the second suspect, a 23-year-old Seattle man, were arrested after Yakima detectives went to Seattle to watch his house.
The pair arrived there about 1 p.m. Monday in the same vehicle in which they are believed to have fled the shooting scene at the Wray’s grocery store on Third Avenue.
Detectives had tracked down the suspects based on telephone information, Yakima police Lt. Mike Merryman said without elaborating.
Kilby was fatally shot Saturday night after the suspects pinned in his vehicle as his passenger fled into the store, investigators say.
The 19-year-old passenger had called Kilby, who was his roommate, to pick him up after a dispute developed between him and the homicide suspects at a house near the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Nob Hill Boulevard.
The passenger was assaulted at that location, possibly in connection with a dispute over an informal rap music contest, police say.
“It’s becoming more and more apparent the driver of the car was simply there to pick up his friend — didn’t know what was going on,” Yakima police Lt. Mike Merryman said.
Previous reports have indicated that Kilby was a Kitsap County resident, but Merryman said he was most recently living in Union Gap. He had family ties across the state.
The suspects were booked into the King County jail on suspicion of first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder. They are expected to be returned soon to face the charges in Yakima County.
Merryman said detectives are still trying to identify and locate a third person who may have been involved in assaulting Kilby’s roommate.
Police said they waited to announce the arrests until this morning because detectives did not conclude their work in Seattle and return to Yakima until late Monday.
— Mark Morey
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2010/03/02/pair-suspected-in-shooting-death-arrested-in-seattle
Yakima Valley- Violent Weekend's aftermath.
A Wapato man is not expected to survive a weekend shooting, Yakima County sheriff's detectives said Monday as they continued to investigate the case.
Meanwhile, Yakima police were trying to identify suspects in another shooting that killed a Kitsap County man on Saturday night, and Toppenish police said they were seeking a known suspect in the third of five shootings reported across the county over the weekend.
The Wapato man -- identified as 28-year-old Manuel Angel Garcia -- remained at Yakima Regional Medical and Cardiac Center in critical condition, said Stew Graham, chief of detectives for the sheriff's office. Numerous relatives have gathered to be with him at the hospital, but his prognosis is not good, authorities said.
Graham said he had no major updates to release as detectives continued to work the case.
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2010/03/02/violent-weekend-s-aftermath
Garcia was visiting a home in the 4500 block of North Track Road in Wapato when he was hit by one of several rounds fired at the house. Multiple shootings have been reported at and around the home, including a 2008 incident that killed a 16-year-old boy who lived there.
Meanwhile, Yakima police said a dispute that stemmed from an informal rap contest apparently played a role in the shooting that killed 29-year-old James Kilby on Saturday night.
The contests, known as freestyle battles, involve contestants exchanging sometimes-insulting lyrics in a spontaneous test of their rapping skills.
Yakima police Lt. Mike Merryman said a passenger with Kilby had reportedly been beaten by several people affiliated with the contest after a disagreement.
The passenger reportedly told Kilby to leave a home in the area of Fifth Avenue and Nob Hill Boulevard, where the beating took place. The shooter followed the car to the Wray's Food and Drug at Third Avenue, blocked it in and then
fired into the car. The passenger, apparently the intended target, had already run into the store, where officers found him.
In Toppenish, police said they were seeking charges of attempted first-degree murder against Ricardo D. Ruiz, 20, of Toppenish. Ruiz remains at large.
The victim told officers he was driving in the 500 block of East Toppenish Avenue when the driver of a blue van got out and began shooting, authorities said. The victim was struck once in the torso as he attempted to drive off.
He drove himself to Toppenish Community Hospital for treatment, police said.
Yakima police also investigated two injury shootings Saturday and Sunday. Two teenagers received noncritical injuries in a driveby shooting, and a man shot a domestic-violence suspect in order to force him to stop attacking his ex-girlfriend.
On Monday, the man was booked into Yakima County Jail on a multiple pending charges, including attempted murder.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Violent Night in the Yakima Valley
YAKIMA--The fatal shooting in the parking lot of Wray's Thriftway was just one of four violent crimes in the Yakima Valley Saturday night.
A 28-year-old Wapato man is on life support after being shot in the head, and two teenage girls were also shooting victims. One of them is six months pregnant.
The gunfire all across the valley has police departments stretched thin and residents worried.
One night. Four crime scenes and so far, no arrests.
Gunfire was heard from Toppenish to Wapato to Yakima.
Police had their hands full nearly all night.
"Our resources get spread pretty thin, Sgt. Tim Bardwell, Yakima Police Department, said. "We rely on other units, the detective unit, our proactive unit, our gang unit to supplement and fill in."
At about 9:00 p.m. Saturday, Wapato police were called to the 4500 block of North Track Road regarding a drive by shooting.
A release from the Yakima County Sheriff's Office said 28-year-old Manuel Angel Garcia of Wapato was inside a house on the block when a bullet came through the front of the building and hit him in the head.
Garcia was taken to a local hospital, where he is in stable but critical condition as of 6:20 p.m. Sunday. Due to the severity of his injuries, the Wapato Police Department turned the case over to the Sheriff's Office.
Deputies say Garcia did not live at the targeted house.
After a night like this, valley police departments must rely on each other.
"We're going to look at those [different shootings] and say, 'Are those similar in description to what occurred in our jurisdiction?'" Bardwell said.
So far, police haven't found any clear connections.
Neighbors told KNDO they're fed up with the violence.
"Nothing really gets done on the street," Kris Clemmons of Yakima said. "[Police] put a lot more cruisers around and they patrol more, but.."
Clemmons lives a block away from the other shooting Yakima police dealt with overnight.
Two Yakima teenagers were injured early Sunday morning while at a home on the 900 block of South 4th Avenue. The girls, ages 18 and 15, told police they were inside a house when they heard gunshots and were struck. The 18-year-old was hit once in the leg, and the 15-year-old was shot once in the buttocks. Officers say the 15-year-old girl is six months pregnant.
Police did not indicate any suspects, but do believe the shooting is gang-related.
Others KNDO spoke with believe stopping this violence starts with the community offering help.
"Wherever you go there's going to be some shootings. As a citizen, you got to help the community, that's what you got to do."
The final shooting--but first chronologically--happened in Toppenish. An adult male was shot in the torso in a drive by shooting one on East Toppenish Avenue.
The victim told police he was sitting in his car at about 8:30 p.m. Saturday when another car pulled up and a man inside fired several rounds at him.
Toppenish police say the suspect is a Hispanic male wearing dark clothes and believe he is anywhere from 5 feet 6 inches to 5 feet 9 inches tall. The victim's injuries are not expected to be life-threatening.
Two Yakima teenagers were injured early Sunday morning while at a home on the 900 block of South 4th Avenue. The girls, ages 18 and 15, told police they were inside a house when they heard gunshots and were struck. The 18-year-old was hit once in the leg, and the 15-year-old was shot once in the buttocks. Police say the 15-year-old girl was pregnant. Police did not indicate any suspects, but do believe the shooting is gang-related.
As of 6:20 p.m. Sunday, no arrests had been reported in any of these cases. It is not clear if any of the shootings are connected.
If you have any information, please call Yakima Police at 509-575-6200, Toppenish Police at 509-865-4355, or the Yakima County Sheriff's Office at 509-574-2500.
http://www.kndo.com/Global/story.asp?S=12059026
A 28-year-old Wapato man is on life support after being shot in the head, and two teenage girls were also shooting victims. One of them is six months pregnant.
The gunfire all across the valley has police departments stretched thin and residents worried.
One night. Four crime scenes and so far, no arrests.
Gunfire was heard from Toppenish to Wapato to Yakima.
Police had their hands full nearly all night.
"Our resources get spread pretty thin, Sgt. Tim Bardwell, Yakima Police Department, said. "We rely on other units, the detective unit, our proactive unit, our gang unit to supplement and fill in."
At about 9:00 p.m. Saturday, Wapato police were called to the 4500 block of North Track Road regarding a drive by shooting.
A release from the Yakima County Sheriff's Office said 28-year-old Manuel Angel Garcia of Wapato was inside a house on the block when a bullet came through the front of the building and hit him in the head.
Garcia was taken to a local hospital, where he is in stable but critical condition as of 6:20 p.m. Sunday. Due to the severity of his injuries, the Wapato Police Department turned the case over to the Sheriff's Office.
Deputies say Garcia did not live at the targeted house.
After a night like this, valley police departments must rely on each other.
"We're going to look at those [different shootings] and say, 'Are those similar in description to what occurred in our jurisdiction?'" Bardwell said.
So far, police haven't found any clear connections.
Neighbors told KNDO they're fed up with the violence.
"Nothing really gets done on the street," Kris Clemmons of Yakima said. "[Police] put a lot more cruisers around and they patrol more, but.."
Clemmons lives a block away from the other shooting Yakima police dealt with overnight.
Two Yakima teenagers were injured early Sunday morning while at a home on the 900 block of South 4th Avenue. The girls, ages 18 and 15, told police they were inside a house when they heard gunshots and were struck. The 18-year-old was hit once in the leg, and the 15-year-old was shot once in the buttocks. Officers say the 15-year-old girl is six months pregnant.
Police did not indicate any suspects, but do believe the shooting is gang-related.
Others KNDO spoke with believe stopping this violence starts with the community offering help.
"Wherever you go there's going to be some shootings. As a citizen, you got to help the community, that's what you got to do."
The final shooting--but first chronologically--happened in Toppenish. An adult male was shot in the torso in a drive by shooting one on East Toppenish Avenue.
The victim told police he was sitting in his car at about 8:30 p.m. Saturday when another car pulled up and a man inside fired several rounds at him.
Toppenish police say the suspect is a Hispanic male wearing dark clothes and believe he is anywhere from 5 feet 6 inches to 5 feet 9 inches tall. The victim's injuries are not expected to be life-threatening.
Two Yakima teenagers were injured early Sunday morning while at a home on the 900 block of South 4th Avenue. The girls, ages 18 and 15, told police they were inside a house when they heard gunshots and were struck. The 18-year-old was hit once in the leg, and the 15-year-old was shot once in the buttocks. Police say the 15-year-old girl was pregnant. Police did not indicate any suspects, but do believe the shooting is gang-related.
As of 6:20 p.m. Sunday, no arrests had been reported in any of these cases. It is not clear if any of the shootings are connected.
If you have any information, please call Yakima Police at 509-575-6200, Toppenish Police at 509-865-4355, or the Yakima County Sheriff's Office at 509-574-2500.
http://www.kndo.com/Global/story.asp?S=12059026
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Witness descriptions lead to quick arrests in Sunday shooting
YAKIMA, Wash. — Within a half hour of a shooting this evening, authorities arrested the man they think pulled the trigger thanks to good descriptions from several witnesses in a Northeast Yakima neighborhood.
The victim, a 22-year-old male, was shot in the abdomen and leg, said Yakima police Lt. Nolan Wentz. The man was dropped off at Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital shortly after a shooting was reported about 5:15 p.m. near North Sixth and H streets.
Officers quickly locked down a house on North Sixth Street after the shooting and arrested two people inside, Wentz said. Off-duty detectives were being called in to conduct interviews.
In months past, residents in this gang-ridden neighborhood have expressed hesitation to call authorities when they hear gunshots out of fear of retaliation. That seems to be changing.
“It’s people starting to get sick of it,” Wentz said. “We’ve got several good witness calls.”
More information on the victim’s condition or the suspect was not immediately available.
— Melissa Sánchez
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2010/02/21/witness-descriptions-lead-to-arrest-in-sunday-shooting
The victim, a 22-year-old male, was shot in the abdomen and leg, said Yakima police Lt. Nolan Wentz. The man was dropped off at Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital shortly after a shooting was reported about 5:15 p.m. near North Sixth and H streets.
Officers quickly locked down a house on North Sixth Street after the shooting and arrested two people inside, Wentz said. Off-duty detectives were being called in to conduct interviews.
In months past, residents in this gang-ridden neighborhood have expressed hesitation to call authorities when they hear gunshots out of fear of retaliation. That seems to be changing.
“It’s people starting to get sick of it,” Wentz said. “We’ve got several good witness calls.”
More information on the victim’s condition or the suspect was not immediately available.
— Melissa Sánchez
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2010/02/21/witness-descriptions-lead-to-arrest-in-sunday-shooting
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Yakima man charged in stabbing death
YAKIMA, Wash. - Authorities today formally charged the 42-year-old man accused in Monday’s fatal stabbing.
Richard Solis, of Yakima, was charged with second-degree murder in Yakima County Superior Court.
He is accused of stabbing 21-year-old Ali Lemus Vargas [an alleged Norteno gang member] multiple times in the head, chest and hands early Monday, authorities said. Lemus Vargas was found about 2:30 a.m. Monday near Pleasant Avenue and West Pierce Street.
Yakima police officers followed a trail of blood that led to a residence in the 1500 block of Seventh Avenue, where they found Solis.
Authorities said an interview with the suspect revealed that an argument between the two led to the stabbing.
Solis is being held on a $500,000 bail in Yakima County Jail. His next court appearance is scheduled for March 2.
- Melissa Sanchez
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2010/02/18/yakima-man-charged-in-stabbing-death
Richard Solis, of Yakima, was charged with second-degree murder in Yakima County Superior Court.
He is accused of stabbing 21-year-old Ali Lemus Vargas [an alleged Norteno gang member] multiple times in the head, chest and hands early Monday, authorities said. Lemus Vargas was found about 2:30 a.m. Monday near Pleasant Avenue and West Pierce Street.
Yakima police officers followed a trail of blood that led to a residence in the 1500 block of Seventh Avenue, where they found Solis.
Authorities said an interview with the suspect revealed that an argument between the two led to the stabbing.
Solis is being held on a $500,000 bail in Yakima County Jail. His next court appearance is scheduled for March 2.
- Melissa Sanchez
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2010/02/18/yakima-man-charged-in-stabbing-death
Yakima- stupid gangbanger shoots himself
YAKIMA -- Police say they have debunked a man's claim that he was shot by someone in a passing car.
The 29-year-old Yakima man reported early Friday that he suffered a gunshot wound to the upper inside right thigh, according to a news release from the Yakima Police Department.
The man said he was walking about 2:40 a.m. toward the 7-Eleven store at 16th and Summitview avenues when someone in a passing vehicle shot him.
Based on evidence at the scene, police said, investigators questioned the man's account of the incident.
The man's pants did not have a bullet hole, but his boxers did, according to the news release. That led police to determine that the man was wounded when the gun discharged while in his waistband.
No charges are being sought against the man, who claimed to be affiliated with a gang, authorities said.
In April 2008, a 20-year-old man claimed that he had been shot in the groin during a drive-by shooting. Police determined that he shot himself with two loads of buckshot after placing the barrel down his pants.
That man was seriously wounded.
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2010/02/17/02-18-10-tieton-mayor
The 29-year-old Yakima man reported early Friday that he suffered a gunshot wound to the upper inside right thigh, according to a news release from the Yakima Police Department.
The man said he was walking about 2:40 a.m. toward the 7-Eleven store at 16th and Summitview avenues when someone in a passing vehicle shot him.
Based on evidence at the scene, police said, investigators questioned the man's account of the incident.
The man's pants did not have a bullet hole, but his boxers did, according to the news release. That led police to determine that the man was wounded when the gun discharged while in his waistband.
No charges are being sought against the man, who claimed to be affiliated with a gang, authorities said.
In April 2008, a 20-year-old man claimed that he had been shot in the groin during a drive-by shooting. Police determined that he shot himself with two loads of buckshot after placing the barrel down his pants.
That man was seriously wounded.
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2010/02/17/02-18-10-tieton-mayor
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