5 arrested in Pasco gang-related shoot-out that left 1 wounded

Police arrested four men and a juvenile in connection to a shoot-out in front of a Pasco house.

The five are suspected of going to the central Pasco neighborhood near Sunny Meadows Park looking for a rival gang member Monday afternoon, said Pasco Sgt. Rigo Pruneda.

This came after they sent a series of voice messages through Facebook about beating up their 19-year-old rival, according to court records.

The 16-year-old continued sending messages after they arrived.

They were standing outside of their cars when the 19-year-old came out armed with a gun to confront them. He told police he saw someone pull out a handgun, and start to aim it at him, so he opened fire.

Those arrested were Javier Martine Mendiola, 18, Dominick Joseph Rodriguez, 20, Adalberto Vicente Guzman-Lara, 19, and Izacc Antoline Guzman, 20.

Police believe one of the shots hit Mendiola, and he was dropped off later at the Kadlec Regional Medical Center emergency room in Kennewick with a gunshot wound in his upper thigh.

However, Mendiola told police he was not part of the shooting.

The city’s Street Crimes Unit and detectives worked together to track down the people responsible, Pruneda said.

Investigators believe the attack at the Robert Wayne Drive home was targeted.

All four of the suspects were booked into the Franklin County jail on suspicion of first-degree assault, drive-by shooting and rioting.

This story was originally published July 8, 2020 at 12:35 PM.