Bails handed down in Moses Lake shooting

Richard Byrd/Columbia Basin Herald The suspected drivers in Friday night’s shooting in Moses Lake, Jonathan Torres, 20, of Royal City, had his bail set at $150,000 on Monday.

by Richard Byrd
| August 1, 2017 3:00 AM

MOSES LAKE — A shooting in Moses Lake that left a woman with a gunshot wound to the back of her heard reportedly stemmed from an argument between rival gang members inside of a marijuana retail store.

Grant County prosecutors charged Jesus Torres, 21, of Royal City, and Jonathan Torres, 20, also of Royal City, in Grant County Superior Court with first-degree assault and drive-by shooting. Following a recommendation by Deputy Prosecutor Kevin McCrae, Grant County Superior Court Judge John Antosz set Jesus’ bail at $1 million and Jonathan’s at $150,000.

The bails come in the wake of an altercation between Jesus and a rival gang member inside of Apex Cannabis in Moses Lake, 955 W. Broadway Ave., Friday night. The altercation started out as an exchange of heated words, but quickly turned physical. Video surveillance from inside the store reportedly shows Jesus bleeding from a wound to either his nose or mouth after the fight, according to court documents.

Both of the parties were promptly kicked out of the store, at which time the male who got into the fight with Jesus hopped in a car with two other people. Jesus and Jonathan began following the vehicle, which made several maneuvers in an attempt to lose the suspect vehicle. Jonathan was allegedly driving and Jesus was in the passenger seat.

Several shots were fired at the victim vehicle at the intersection of Holly Street and West Fourth Avenue. One of the bullets struck the female driver of the car in the back of the head. The woman was transported to Samaritan Hospital by a private vehicle, received treatment and was released. Police records indicate the bullet penetrated the woman’s skin, but it did not penetrate her skull.

Police were able to track the license plate associated with the suspect vehicle back to a residence in the 400 block of Juniper Circle in Royal City. The Royal City Police Department advised Jonathan regularly drives the vehicle and positively identified Jesus from video surveillance taken from inside Apex.

The MLPD was advised Jesus had recently been released from prison after he was involved in a pursuit in which shots were fired from his vehicle at pursuing officers. Jesus has nine previous felony convictions, including six for first-degree assault, one for second-degree assault, one for first-degree burglary and one for unlawful possession of a firearm. Jonathan has two prior felony convictions, including one for second-degree assault and one for first-degree burglary.

A search warrant was obtained for the Juniper Circle residence and the Moses Lake Regional Tactical Response Team was activated. The Torres brothers were taken into custody at the residence, both of whom reportedly matched the descriptions of the suspects from the incident at Apex. Evidence gathered at the scene indicated a 9mm handgun and .45 ACP handgun were used in the shooting.

Richard Byrd can be reached via email at city@columbiabasinherald.com.