Royal City brothers arrested in ML shooting

MOSES LAKE — Two Royal City brothers are facing charges in connection with a shooting in Moses Lake that left a woman with a gunshot wound to the back of her head.

Initial information indicates one of the two suspects, identified as Jesus Torres, 21, of Royal City and Jonathan Torres, 20, also of Royal City, exchanged heated words with another male inside of Apex Cannabis in Moses Lake, 955 W. Broadway Ave. A physical altercation reportedly ensued and Apex employees broke up the fight and made both of the parties leave the business, according to Moses Lake Police Department Sgt. Brian Jones.

The two suspects followed the victim vehicle, which contained three people, after it left Apex.

“There were some maneuvers trying to lose them as the suspects were following them. They ended up at the intersection near Holly Street and West Fourth Avenue, where multiple gunshots occurred,” Jones said.

The driver of the victim vehicle, a female, sustained a gunshot wound to the back of the head.

“But it (the bullet) had lost enough energy that it penetrated her tissue, but it didn’t carry enough energy to penetrate her skull. So she is the luckiest woman in Washington state,” according to Jones.

The victim was transported to Samaritan Hospital by a private vehicle, treated for the injury and later released. A search warrant was obtained for a residence on Juniper Circle in Royal City, where the Torres brothers were believed to have been hiding out. The Moses Lake Regional Tactical Response Team was activated and with the cooperation of the Grant County Sheriff’s Office and K-9 deputies Grizzly and Edo, the brothers were taken into custody Saturday morning.

Jesus Torres, who is believed to be the shooter, was booked into the Grant County Jail for first-degree assault and unlawful possession of a firearm. Jonathan Torres, who is believed to be the driver, was booked for drive-by shooting.

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