Video analysis leads to dropped murder charges for teen tied to deadly Pasco gunfight
Prosecutors dropped the murder charges against the youngest suspect in a Pasco shootout after finding they had the wrong person.
It was believed that Derick Jackson, 15, was part of a second group of teens who opened fire outside a house party on Aug. 6. Denali Anderson, 20, died in the exchange of gunfire.
He was charged in Benton-Franklin Juvenile Court with murder, assault and illegal gun possession.
But while video showed him at the scene and running next to one of shooting suspects, he wasn’t ever seen with a gun, according to a motion filed by Jackson’s attorney.
Franklin County prosecutors ordered their own forensic analysis of the video and conducted follow-up interviews and discovered that the person they thought was Jackson, really wasn’t, Prosecutor Shawn Sant told the Herald.
“We are obligated to dismiss when we no longer have evidence supporting the allegations,” he said.
The remaining five people linked to the shooting are continuing to face charges. They are:
▪ Zhane P. Davis, 18, charged with rendering criminal assistance
▪ Jaelin T. Fields, 17, charged with second-degree murder, first-degree assault, illegal possession of a firearm
▪ Angel I. Garcia, 18, charged with second-degree murder, first-degree assault, illegal possession of a firearm
▪ Osman C. Morales Salto, 18, charged with second-degree murder and first-degree assault
▪ Brian A. Panduro-Valenzuela, 19, charged with second-degree murder and first-degree assault
Shooting at party
According to court documents, Jackson went to the party with Fields and Davis on Pimlico Drive in a Toyota Prius..
Gunfire started shortly after the three arrived at the party, according to court documents.
One victim, Caiden Gawith, 18, told the police the shooting started with an argument between Panduro-Valenzuela and Anderson.
Panduro-Valenzuela, Morales Salto and Garcia were in a Nissan Altima when an argument began and Garcia got out of the car and allegedly shot Anderson.
The other two in the car reportedly began firing as well, according to police.
Gawith was shot in the stomach and chest, and he later admitted to having a gun in a backpack near him but it’s unclear if he returned fire.
Anderson retrieved his handgun and “unloaded the magazine,” according to Gawith.
He said he saw Anderson fall and one of the teens got out of the car and shot Anderson twice while he was on the ground, according to the documents. He died at the scene.
Misinterpreted video
Pasco police initially believed that a video showed Fields and Jackson running back to the Prius while Fields fired a gun. A second clip showed someone, believed to be Jackson, holding a weapon directing traffic, so the Altima could leave.
Defense attorney Brian Hultgrenn pointed out problems with the video when he moved to have his client released. He argued that it was impossible for Jackson to be the person who was directing traffic to allow the Nissan to leave the scene.
The videos show that the final shots fired happened about 45 seconds after Jackson left the scene.
“It is impossible the person allegedly directing traffic, to allow the Nissan to leave, is one of the people that got into the Prius,” Hultgrenn said.
It’s like the person initially believed to be directing traffic was actually a bystander who was pointing toward Anderson.
Davis, Garcia, Morales Salto, and Panduro-Valenzuela are scheduled to go to trial together on Feb. 22.
Fields is waiting for an evaluation to determine if he is mentally healthy enough to stand trial.