Suspect accused of shooting at Kennewick officer had been out of prison less than a year
A Kennewick man had a gash on his forehead and scratches on his arm after a shootout and standoff with police.
Anthony Martinez-Mata appeared via video Wednesday in his first appearance in court following a Tuesday night showdown outside the Clearwater Bay Apartments.
The 26-year-old is being held in the Benton County jail on a total of $700,000 bail for three cases, including a warrant from Idaho.
He is being held on investigation of second-degree assault and possession of a stolen car in one case and first-degree assault and first-degree burglary in another, both in Benton County.
Prosecutors have until Sept. 16 to decide whether they will file formal charges.
Deputy Prosecutor Brendan Siefkan asked for a high bail amount, noting Martinez-Mata’s criminal history.
It’s been a little less than a year since he was released from prison after a 2018 conviction where he pleaded guilty to a 2017 drive-by shooting in Pasco. He was sentenced to 5 1/2 years in prison.
He was released in October 2021 but violated his probation in June when he failed to check in as required.
In addition, he has previous convictions in 2015 for theft and burglary.
This week’s shooting
A team of Kennewick and Richland officers and Benton County sheriff’s deputies were arresting suspects wanted on warrants Tuesday when they spotted Martinez-Mata in a car near the apartment complex about 6:20 p.m.
As officers closed in, he jumped out of the car and ran toward a motorcycle. He tried to start the bike but when it wouldn’t turn over, he ran toward the apartment complex.
Police were pursuing him when he pulled out a handgun and opened fire at a pursuing officer, Kennewick police said in a release.
A Kennewick officer shot back. Martinez-Mata was hit, though he was treated for minor injuries before being taken to jail.
The officer, who was not named in a Kennewick news release, was not hurt.
Martinez-Mata was arrested after he barged into a stranger’s apartment and stayed inside for a couple hours until police managed to talk him into coming out.
The Regional Special Investigations Unit (SIU) was called in to handle the shooting investigation. The unit, which covers Benton, Franklin and Walla Walla counties, does independent investigations of officer-involved shootings.
This story was originally published September 15, 2022 at 1:12 PM.