Pasco police say Saturday gunfight could have been much worse

The Saturday night gunfight between a Pasco resident and Pasco police officers in the resident’s basement on South Ninth Avenue could have been much worse.

Gunshots narrowly missed officers standing across the room from the suspect, and children had just been taken from the room, said Pasco police Capt. Ken Roske at a Tuesday morning news conference.

He relayed the events of the shootout that left the resident, Edwin Espejo, in the hospital.

Three officers responded to a 911 domestic violence call at 11:45 p.m. to find Espejo, 31, agitated and with two young children in the basement with him, Roske said.

Officers were able to talk Espejo into releasing the children, who were quickly taken upstairs where there were other people, Roske said.

After the children were gone, officers spotted a handgun next to Espejo and warned him not to touch it.

When he reached for the gun, officers used a Taser on him, Roske said.

But the Taser didn’t stop him. He fired multiple rounds directly at the three officers standing across the room from him.

All three officers immediately fired their handguns at Espejo, hitting him multiple times, Roske said.

Police did not say how many shots were fired by either side.

The officers were Matt Griffin, John D’Aquilla and David Dillsworth, a Pasco reserve officer.

None were injured, but a bullet went through the leg of D’Aquilla’s pants near his ankle.

The three officers are on paid administrative leave while the Tri-City Special Investigation Unit works the case. None has been in a police-involved shooting before, Roske said.

After Espejo was hit, officers immediately applied tourniquets and gave other medical care to Espejo until paramedics arrived.

The officers likely saved his life, Roske said.

Espejo was taken to Kadlec Regional Medical Center in Richland. He underwent surgery and was in stable condition Tuesday morning, Roske said.

Espejo is a convicted felon with multiple prior arrests for domestic violence, Roske said.

Roske was not aware of any restraining order against Roske by anyone in the house Saturday night, nor was he immediately aware of any previous domestic violence calls involving Espejo at the house at 910 S. Ninth Ave.

Information about the children in the house, including their ages and any relationship to Espejo, has not been released by police.

Criminal charges in the case will come from the Franklin County prosecutor and the Tri-City Special Investigation Unit. Kennewick police Commander Craig Littrell is leading the investigation.

“Already this year there have been 92 police officers in this country killed in the line of duty,” Roske said. “We are lucky there wasn’t more on Saturday.”

One of the officers who responded to the Saturday night call, Griffin, has experience as a crisis negotiator, Roske said.

Griffin has been a Pasco officer for five years and has been with the Tri-City Regional SWAT Team for three years.

D’Aquilla has been a Pasco officer for 2 and a half years. Dillsworth had been a Pasco reserve officer for two years.

“We are extremely proud of the courageous actions of our officers and their commitment to our community,” Roske said.

This story was originally published September 19, 2017 at 11:15 AM with the headline "Pasco police say Saturday gunfight could have been much worse."