Police make arrests after Kennewick apartment complex sees 4 gang-related shootings

Two teens were arrested this week as part of an investigation into a series of gang-related shootings at the Heatherstone Apartments.

The 10th Avenue apartment complex has been the scene of four shootings in the span of about two weeks starting on Aug. 4, Kennewick police said in a Wednesday release.

The shootings were all connected to a single building, and when officers would arrive they would mostly find shell casings and bullet hole damage.

There was one report of a person being hit in the arm, but the victim didn’t cooperate with police, Detective Sgt. Joe Santoy said.

Detectives determined that all the shootings are connected and motivated by gangs.

The most recent, on Aug. 19, sent bullets into a vehicle and an apartment unit about 12:15 a.m.

None of the stray shots have resulted in hurting anyone, Santoy said.

The Aug. 19 shooting led investigators to search two apartments on Wednesday morning with the help of the Tri-City Regional SWAT team.

While police didn’t find anything connected to the shootings in one of the apartments, the other one netted police several guns and two suspects.

One of the guns had the numbers illegally filed off.

They arrested Joshua Garcia-Topete, 19, for unlawful discharge of a firearm, and a 15-year-old for possessing a stolen gun.

Police said they are continuing to investigate.

Kennewick and Pasco have seen a rash of violence related to gangs in recent months, including two homicides in Pasco in recent weeks, and two in Kennewick in April.

Historically, local increases in gang crimes are linked to people moving to the area or recently getting out of prison or jail, he said.