Richland shooting suspect allegedly known to intimidate, brandish weapons
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- Charging documents allege Brandon Alfaro brandished guns and gang tags before shooting.
- Two men in a Chevy Volt suffered gunshot wounds after a confrontation.
- Alfaro faces four felony counts; jailed on $500,000 bond after preliminary appearance.
The two men accused of shooting at a car fleeing a Richland apartment complex earlier this month were reportedly known for brandishing weapons to intimidate people and tagging gang graffiti.
That’s according to court documents in the case against Brandon Alfaro, 25, of Richland, who was arrested Monday after police were called back to a troubled neighborhood on the 300 block of Van Giesen Street.
He’s facing four felony charges for first-degree assault, robbery and unlawful gun possession. Alfaro has a separate 2024 domestic violence conviction that prohibits him from possessing firearms.
He remains in the Benton County jail with bail set at $500,000. The second suspect has not been arrested.
The allegations stem from an incident Nov. 2. The driver of a Chevy Volt sedan was dropping his cousin off at his ex-girlfriend’s apartment early that Sunday morning, when he noticed “something was going on” inside the apartment complex.
The passenger says he was there to “make up” with his ex and pick up his vape pen. When he showed up at the apartment, three men started hitting him and ran back to the car.
Detectives believe the incident may have stemmed from an argument, but an anonymous tip alleges the ex set up a trap for the two cousins.
Alfaro and two other men followed the ex-boyfriend outside, and he claims two of the three gave chase and fired four to seven times at the car, said court documents.
The driver was shot through his stomach and wrist, while the passenger suffered a chest wound. They showed up minutes later at Kadlec Regional Medical Center in Richland.
The passenger told police he and Alfaro had previous conflicts about his ex-girlfriend. This time, he said Alfaro “pointed a gun at him, threatened to shoot him, then continued to beat (kick, punch) him, rob him of his clothing and cell phone” inside the apartment, according to the documents.
Before he escaped, Alfaro allegedly dry fired a pistol at him. After the shooting, Alfaro allegedly fled to his nearby apartment complex and hid in a unit that wasn’t his own.
About two weeks later, Richland police arrested Alfaro at 3:30 a.m. Monday, Nov. 17, after getting 911 calls about more gunfire at the apartment complex.
While investigating those claims, they recognized Alfaro. Police arrested Alfaro and served a search warrant on his apartment, with assistance from SWAT officers. A vehicle believed to be connected to the shooting was also impounded.
