KENNEWICK, WA – Multiple callers phoned police to report that occupants of a vehicle were shooting at another vehicle near Gage Boulevard and Center Parkway in Kennewick last week.
According to police, at about 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, the vehicles had left the 1300 block of N. Columbia Center Boulevard and both vehicles sped away – one chasing the other. Both vehicles were then involved in a collision with each other in the area of Gage Blvd. and Keene Road. At one point, a person in an involved vehicle called in to report an occupant of their vehicle had been shot.
The vehicle with the injured occupant pulled into the driveway of a Richland Fire Station to seek medical assistance and the second vehicle followed. After a brief encounter occurred between all the occupants of both vehicles, and while Richland Fire personnel began exiting the building, the pursuing vehicle fled. Police quickly located the vehicle in the 400 block of Keene Rd. A high-risk vehicle stop was conducted and both occupants were detained. Kennewick Detectives responded to the scene to investigate.
Three 17-year-old juveniles occupied the vehicle with the teen who was shot. The second vehicle was occupied by two adults, 18-year-old Noah Sanchez and 19-year-old Shaden Sullivan, both of Franklin County. The juvenile who had been shot was transported to an area hospital and was last reported as in stable condition.
Police say the initial investigation indicates the vehicle containing the juveniles met with Sanchez and Sullivan in a business parking lot to sell them a firearm. It appears there was never an intention to sell a firearm, but rather steal the money from Sanchez and Sullivan. The juveniles quickly fled with the money in hand, without handing over a firearm. Sanchez and Sullivan allegedly began chasing and shooting at the vehicle. One of the juveniles was struck by the gunfire.
The driver of the chasing vehicle, Sanchez, was booked into the Benton County Jail for first degree assault, drive-by shooting, and second degree assault. Sullivan was booked for first degree assault, drive-by shooting, and unlawful possession of a firearm.
A search was conducted on both vehicles. A stolen firearm was recovered out of the juvenile’s vehicle and another firearm was recovered out of the vehicle Sanchez was driving.
Additional charges are pending on some of the juveniles involved and police say the incident remains under investigation.
