Man dies from gunfire near Doolittle park
Bill Stevenson/Columbia Basin Herald<br> Grant County sheriff deputies are investigating a shooting, which lead to a collision between a blue Honda Civic and a tan Ford Bronco on Patton Boulevard near Gen. James H. Doolittle Park, near Moses Lake.
MOSES LAKE — Blocks from a popular Moses Lake park, shots were fired at a 1990 blue Honda CRX, striking driver 19-year-old Juan Manual Vasquez Jr.
The Moses Lake man was driving from the area of Vandenburg Loop and Doolittle Drive on Larson base, when suspects fired several shots into the car Tuesday afternoon, according to Grant County Undersheriff John Turley.
At least two bullets struck Vasquez in the back, causing him to loose consciousness while driving. His car entered Patton Boulevard, striking a passing 1979 Ford Bronco, according to Turley.
The Honda came to a stop against the fence of a parking lot adjacent to Gen. James H. Doolittle Park, and the Bronco stopped on the sidewalk.
Grant County Fire District 5 transported Vasquez to Samaritan Healthcare, where he died from his injuries, Turley said.
“Vasquez has an affiliation with a street gang,” said Turley. “But, we still don’t know the motivation (for the shooting).”
No one was arrested in connection to the shooting Tuesday. Authorities were interviewing witnesses at the scene, but were not able to provide further details about the suspects.