Kennewick park victim was shot several times. Autopsy shows 1 wound was fatal

A 29-year-old Kennewick man was shot several times Friday night, but it was a bullet wound to his torso that killed him.

The Benton County Coroner’s Office released initial information Tuesday on the death of Armando Rodiguez-Willis following an autopsy.

But officials are not saying how many times he was shot during the Friday night confrontation at Eastgate Park in Kennewick.

Police are still working to determine how many people were at the park, and whether they traded shots, or if one group opened fire on the other. Officers believe at least two guns were involved.

Three other men were wounded but they are expected to survive.

All of the men are members of a street gang, said investigators.

Rodriguez-Willis was dead when police arrived to investigate gunfire in the park near the Benton County Fairgrounds.

They also found Martin Olivera, 36, of Pasco, and Santiago Ayala, 32, of Kennewick, with gunshot wounds.

And they learned about a third shooting victim, Jimmy T. R. Cuellar, 31, of Kennewick, who had been dropped off at Lourdes Medical Center in Pasco.

Lieutenant Aaron Clem said none of the people involved are cooperating with police.

However, they don’t believe it’s related to the May shooting where a 20-year-old pregnant woman was killed. That gang-linked was just six blocks away.

“We’ve been working diligently on the investigation,” said Clem. “We have several things that we’re looking at.”

Investigators believe Friday’s shooting was an isolated incident, and that the public doesn’t need to worry.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call non-emergency dispatchers at 509-628-0333.

Or contact Tri-Cities Crime Stoppers at 509-586-8477, 800-222-8477 or online at www.tricitiescrimestoppers.org.

Crime Stoppers offers up to $1,000 for information leading to a felony arrest. Tipsters can remain anonymous.