First of 5 suspects sentenced for role in gang-related shootout in Tri-Cities neighborhood

The first of five suspects in a September gang-related shootout admitted having a .22-caliber rifle after prosecutors dropped another charge.

Javier Valdez, 24, was sentenced to five years and seven months in prison for his role in the Kennewick drive-by.

He pleaded guilty recently in Benton County Superior Court to illegal gun possession.

A charge of second-degree assault was dismissed.

Deputy Prosecutor Kristin McRoberts said the prosecution and defense agreed to the mid-range sentence for the convicted felon.

Valdez’s criminal history includes convictions for attempted kidnapping, conspiracy to possess drugs, residential burglary, felony harassment and four illegal gun possessions.

He was the last to be arrested for the Sept. 22 shooting outside an Eighth Avenue home. No one was wounded in the clash.

Nickolas A. Medelez, 25, is locked up on $100,000 bail with a Nov. 18 trial date.

He is charged with drive-by shooting, first-degree assault and first-degree illegal gun possession. His criminal history includes an assault.

Mitchell Talavera, 22, is out of custody after posting bond on $100,000. His trial is Nov. 12 for drive-by shooting and first-degree assault.

Andres Torres-Rodriguez, 28, is scheduled to go to trial Nov. 12 on illegal gun possession. His convictions includes assault, residential burglary and burglary.

His bail is set at $50,000 and he has a state Department of Corrections hold.

Tomas Hinojosa Jr., 39, is charged with illegal gun possession. His priors include residential burglary.

He is in custody on $10,000 bail, along with two out-of-county holds. His trial is Nov. 18.

Neighborhood shootout

It was a Sunday evening when police responded to find damaged cars, a bullet-riddled home and a trail of shell casings in front of four other homes.

One of the bullets punched through the front window of a home and missed several adults and four children before shattering the sliding glass door.

According to police and court documents, Medelez and Talavera pulled up on Hinojosa’s home just as Hinojosa was walking toward Monopoly Park on his way to the store.

Talavera allegedly displayed his gun as the car passed by Hinojosa.

Hinojosa had handed a .45-caliber handgun to Torres-Rodriguez in the home before leaving for the store, documents said.

Hinojosa started heading back to his house just as the car carrying Medelez and Talavera made a U-turn. He yelled at the people standing outside his home to get inside just as the car’s occupants opened fire, court documents said.

Medelez and Talavera also yelled “gang slurs,” police said.

Hinojosa later told police he hopped a fence and heard people screaming as bullets whizzed above his own head.

Valdez initially was accused of firing his rifle at the passing car. Talavera claimed he was only returning fire after Valdez shot first, documents said.

Police couldn’t say who fired first, but said the alleged drive-by shooters left a string of .45-caliber and 9mm shell casings.