2 arrested in Moses Lake shooting
MOSES LAKE — Two men are lodged in the Grant County Jail as deputies investigate a drive-by-shooting that took place Friday night in Moses Lake, according to information released by law enforcement on Monday.
About 8 p.m. Friday deputies with the Grant County Sheriff’s Office received a report of shots fired in the Larson Housing area. Deputies responded to the area and discovered a residence in the 1100 block of Larson Boulevard had been struck by “at least” one bullet. A vehicle in the area was also reportedly hit by a bullet, according to the sheriff’s office.
Deputies investigated the shooting and were advised by two witnesses that two vehicles, a dark Honda and a white passenger vehicle, left the area after the shots were fired. Deputies and Moses Lake Police Department officers searched for the vehicles but were not able to find them and they did not show up on any of the surveillance cameras the sheriff’s office has in the Larson neighborhood.
Shortly after midnight a deputy spotted a car that matched the description of the dark Honda. The deputy attempted to pull the car over, but the driver sped up and led the deputy on a short chase.
The driver stopped in the 400 block of South Pioneer Way and the passenger in the car, identified as Brandon Medina Perez, 21, of Mattawa, got out of the car and fled the area on foot. An MLPD officer reportedly spotted Perez running south across East Fifth Avenue from the Moses Lake Public Library to Granco Credit Union. Perez allegedly attempted to pull a gun out of his pants as the officer approached him in his patrol vehicle.
“By (the) time I exited my vehicle and I confronted him, he was crouching over, I assume in order to conceal the fact he was drawing the firearm. I saw the firearm in his hands. I had my firearm drawn and ordered him to drop his firearm and get on the ground. He dropped the firearm but only got on his knees,” wrote the MLPD officer.
Perez allegedly leaned toward the weapon as he was on his knees and eventually complied with the officer’s directive to lie on the ground. In addition to the gun, Perez was found to be in possession of drug paraphernalia and was booked into jail for altering identification marks on a firearm and possession of drug paraphernalia.
The driver of the Honda, Daniel Alcala, 22, of Quincy, was booked into jail for investigation of first-degree negligent driving and third-degree driving with a suspended license.
Deputies are still investing the shooting and asking anyone with information to contact the sheriff’s office at 509-762-1160 or send information to crimetips@grantcountywa.gov. People offering details to deputies can remain anonymous.
Richard Byrd can be reached via email at city@columbiabasinherald.com.