Richland drive-by suspect arrested after throwing gun out car window

Four people were arrested after a chase and a search in Kennewick connected with a weekend drive-by shooting in Richland.

The shooting happened about 11 p.m. on the 700 block of Winslow Avenue when a house with people inside was hit with several bullets fired from a black sedan.

No one was hurt and it wasn’t reported to police until the next morning. It’s “believed to be a targeted incident related to alleged narcotics activity,” said Richland police.

Then on Friday morning, officers saw a suspect in the drive-by, Roel Martinez, 25, get into a dark SUV and head toward Highway 395.

When they tried to stop him, Martinez took off, leading to a short chase through the city. Officers stopped following him out of concern it might endanger the public, said Kennewick police.

Along the way, Martinez reportedly tossed a .22 caliber pistol out his window. A witness turned the gun over to officers.

Police found the car on the 900 block of North Kellogg Street, and later found Martinez in Lawrence Scott Park off Canal Drive.

As officers searched the area, Kennewick police asked Tri-Tech Skills Center to go into lockdown for about five minutes.

Police surrounded a home at 3324 W. 19th Ave. in Kennewick in connection with the shooting and served a search warrant.

Inside they found two other people allegedly connected to the drive-by, Rianna Kaopio, 29, and Celso Rivera Jr., 28. They also arrested a juvenile.

Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to contact Detective Sgt. Drew Florence at dflorence@ci.richland.wa.us or call 509-942-7654.

This story was originally published August 31, 2018 at 10:33 AM.