Want-to-be vigilante gets community service
Local Crime News
EPHRATA - A reportedly intoxicated Moses Lake man who tried to stop what he thought was a burglary in process by firing his shotgun was sentenced to community service and will permanently lose his ability to own a gun.
Kyle Brandon Goering Ruiz, 23, told police that he thought newspaper delivery drivers were burglarizing Valley Eye Care at 4 a.m. one day in August and, with a friend, grabbed two shotguns and walked across Valley Road to confront the group.
He said that as he approached the group he fired his shotgun once into the air then ordered them onto the ground.
The men eventually left and they picked up the spent shell casing on their way back to the house.
The group said they were afraid for their lives and called 9-1-1.
As the group was describing the two men to police, a nearby garage door opened, and they identified the man coming from the garage as the shooter, according to the police report.
When police talked to Ruiz, he admitted to shooting his gun and ordering the people on the ground. Police reported that he appeared intoxicated.
Ruiz said that he had been drinking all night with friends. He said that he was formerly in the military and had no problem "taking them out," if needed, according to officers.
The police said that the delivery drivers come to Valley Eye Care every night to sort newspapers. Ruiz said that he had not noticed them before.
According to court documents, because Ruiz pled guilty to threatening to kill the group he will lose the ability to lawfully own or possess a firearm.
The standard range for his crime was one to three months, but Ruiz was granted first-time offender status and his two week sentence was converted to 112 hours of community service.
Become a Subscriber!
You have read all of your free articles this month. Select a plan below to start your subscription today.
Already a subscriber? Login
