A 15-year-old boy died and a second teenager was wounded Saturday afternoon after rival gang members opened fire in a Pasco alleyway, according to police. A 22-year-old man is now in custody on murder and assault charges.
Pasco Police responded around 4:15 p.m. Saturday to reports of gunfire near the intersection of West Court Street and North 7th Avenue, according to the Tri-City Herald, via Yahoo News. Pasco Police Capt. Bill Parramore told reporters the shooting played out along a stretch of alley between West Brown Street and West Court Street, calling it a large scene spanning several city blocks.
"When we arrived, there was at least one individual who had been shot and injured, was transported to a local hospital where he has since died," Parramore said, according to the Herald. "Two other individuals also were shot in the exchange of gunfire." The teen who died was taken to Lourdes Medical Center, according to dispatch reports cited by the Herald.
What police say happened
According to Nonstop Local/NBC Right Now, Pasco Police Sgt. Leininger said two juveniles were spray-painting graffiti in the alley between Court and Brown streets, and between 5th and 7th avenues, when a group of rival gang members approached them. Police say a 22-year-old man started the shootout with the juveniles. One 15-year-old died at the hospital; the other juvenile was grazed in the head by gunfire. Medics who treated him said it was close to a miracle the bullet didn't cause more severe harm, Nonstop Local reported.
The 22-year-old suspect sustained a minor gunshot wound of his own and remains in custody on murder and assault charges, according to police. His identity, formal charging documents and whether he'll be charged as an adult have not yet been released.
Police told Nonstop Local that many people were in the area when the shooting happened, but no one called 911, and none of the witnesses have cooperated with investigators since. That silence leaves gaps in the timeline and in confirming whether the shooting was gang-related, as police have described it, or whether that characterization holds up once the Franklin County Prosecutor's Office reviews the case and decides on charges.
A separate brief from TriYakNews referenced the same location and timing and indicated the victim had been identified, though the full report — including the boy's name — was not available as of Sunday.
A pattern Pasco has seen before
This is at least the third notable incident of teen-involved gun violence reported in Pasco this year, following a 14-year-old shot near a Rite Aid and a 15-year-old arrested in connection with an August shooting, according to NBC Right Now's local coverage archive. Each case has reignited concern among residents and school officials about youth exposure to gun violence in the city.
The shooting also lands as Pasco weighs cutting up to a fifth of its police force to close a $14.4 million budget gap, which Tri-Cities Today has previously reported could shrink the department's capacity for exactly this kind of investigation. That staffing question adds another layer of uncertainty to how a case built on reluctant witnesses and juvenile victims will move through the system.
The alley between Brown and Court streets, running roughly from 5th to 7th avenues, remains part of an active investigation. Pasco Police have not said whether the wounded teen remains hospitalized or has been released. Anyone with information is urged to contact Pasco Police; details on anonymous tip lines were not included in the reports reviewed. Check back for updates as charging documents and the victim's identity become public.
