Shooting suspect held without bail

Richard Byrd/Columbia Basin Herald Alejandro Rodriguez, the man who was shot by police on Sunday, appears in Grant County Superior Court on Monday.

by Richard Byrd
| August 21, 2018 1:00 AM

LAKEVIEW — A man who was shot by police after he opened fire at several police officers on Sunday is being held without bail.

Grant County prosecutors charged Alejandro Rodriguez, 26, in Grant County Superior Court with two counts of first-degree assault (firearm, deadly weapon, force). Per the recommendation of Deputy Prosecutor Kevin McCrae, and due to the seriousness Rodriguez’s alleged actions, Judge John Antosz ordered the defendant, who faces the possibility of life in prison if convicted of the crimes, to be held without bail. The bail issue will be addressed again during a review hearing on Monday.

Police were at the scene where the shooting took place Sunday morning after receiving information that Alfredo Diaz, 25, who is wanted in connection with an armed robbery in Ephrata, may have been in the 100 block of Adrian Avenue Northwest, in the Lakeview community near Soap Lake.

When police arrived two Ephrata officers, Sgt. Ryan Harvey and officer Bill Roberts, contacted a subject at the main house as Grant County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Scott Granger and Soap Lake officer Nicholas Diaz approached from the back of the residence. The subject at the main residence led police to a shed at the back of the property. Officers contacted a female at the shed, who told Granger there was a male inside. The female went into the shed and told the male, Rodriguez, to leave and a short time later he reportedly exited.

Rodriguez allegedly walked away from Diaz and Granger and refused commands from officers. He allegedly reached toward his waist and hid behind a pile of garbage.

“As the officers attempted to get him to stop Rodriguez took cover behind the junk pile and shots were exchanged between Rodriguez and the officers,” Central Basin Investigative Team (CBIT) Commander Dave Sands said. “After the shooting officers were able to take Rodriguez into custody and rendered medical treatment until an ambulance arrived.”

Rodriguez was treated at Samaritan Hospital for a gunshot wound to his lower leg and booked into jail later in the day on Sunday. CBIT detectives recovered a 9mm pistol with a round in the chamber and an empty magazine on a tarp that was covering the pile of garbage where Rodriguez ducked for cover.

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