Highly intoxicated Kennewick man shoots man near sidewalk of apartment, police say

A 61-year-old Kennewick man was booked into jail after shooting a man near the sidewalk in front of his apartment.

Kennewick police say Joel S. Johnson, 61, was highly intoxicated when he stepped out of his apartment and fired a shot into the air just after 1 a.m. Sunday at the Spring Meadow Apartments on the 1100 block of West Fifth Avenue, Kennewick police said.

The shot hit a 56-year-old man in the leg as he was standing near the sidewalk along South Kent Street.

Police and emergency crews treated the man, before taking him to a local hospital. The injury was not life-threatening.

Witnesses pointed out the apartment they said the gunfire had come from, and police found Johnson.

He was booked into the Benton County jail on suspicion of third-degree assault.

Last week, the complex also was the scene of a four-hour standoff with the Tri-City Regional SWAT team.

This story was originally published July 19, 2021 at 9:44 AM.