Ephrata police attacked

EPHRATA - One of two twin brothers is on the run after an Ephrata stabbing and attack on police officers.

Ephrata police responded to reports of a fight in an alley on Northwest Basin Street Wednesday at about 7:30 p.m., where a man was reportedly stabbed several times, according to an Ephrata Police report released on Thursday.

A second fight ensued during the preliminary investigation and two Ephrata police officers were allegedly assaulted by Alfredo L. Silva and Juan D. Silva, both 19-year-old Soap Lake residents and brothers.

Alfredo Silva reportedly hit an officer in the face hard enough to leave swelling and black and blue marks, Ephrata Police Chief Mike Warren said.

Following the attack, the Silva brothers fled the scene. After a short foot pursuit, Alfredo Silva was arrested on multiple charges, Warren said, including assault in the third degree for the assault on the officer.

Ephrata police also arrested Gerardo A. Romero, 18, Othello, for assault in the first degree, riot and obstruction.

Both are being held at the Grant County Jail, according to jail records.

There were six people involved in the incident, Warren said, although Juan Silva is the only at-large suspect wanted at this time.

Some of the people involved are known gang members, but Warren said the fight was not a "gang-on-gang" incident.

The stabbing victim was transported to Columbia Basin Hospital with multiple knife wounds and was later taken to a Wenatchee hospital for further treatment, according to police.

Warren said the stabbing victim - an adult male from Ephrata - is not a known gang member, but has a criminal history.

In July 2011, the Silva twins were accused of murdering Luis Martinez, 18, Moses Lake, and stabbing his brother Efrian "Alex" Martinez, 19, Moses Lake, at a Soap Lake party, according to court records. Both fled the scene but turned themselves in the following day.

Alfredo Silva was charged with murder in the second degree and unlawful possession of a firearm in the second degree, while Juan Silva was charged with murder in the second degree and assault in the first degree, according to Grant County Superior Court records.

Prosecutors dismissed charges against the brothers in November.

"Based on all the information I now have, it appears that neither Silva was the shooter nor does it appear that they have any culpability for the acts of the third person, who they identified as the shooter," Grant County Prosecutor Angus Lee stated when the charges were dismissed.