Shooter charged with attempted murder

EPHRATA - A Moses Lake man is accused of shooting three people after rival gang members challenged each other at a party.

Prosecutors charged Michael J. Montejano, 20, with three counts of attempted murder in the second degree in Grant County Superior Court.

The shooting occurred late Saturday night outside an apartment on South Division Street. The resident decided to have a party at her apartment, and during the course of the night several alleged gang members came in, according to the Moses Lake police report.

The resident told police she heard rival gang members were coming to the party, and when she learned who was coming, one of the victims and his friends had arrived, according to the police report.

The victim and another man confronted Montejano, telling him to come outside. After Montejano and several other gang members came outside, the victim began confronting him, and another man reportedly punched Montejano in the face, according to the police report.

After he was hit, Montejano reportedly pulled out a gun, shooting it towards the rival gang members, hitting a 20-year old Hispanic male, a 17-year-old white female and a 16-year-old Hispanic male.