Fairgrounds shooter sentenced after pleading guilty
The Grant County Fairgrounds was evacuated Aug. 16, on the carnival side of the venue, after a shooting led to the injury of two minors. The shooter has now been sentenced for the incident, according to Grant County Prosecuting Attorney Kevin McCrae. Inset: officers detain the suspect in the shooting.
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MOSES LAKE – A 15-year-old has been sentenced for a shooting incident at the Grant County Fairgrounds last August, according to Grant County Prosecuting Attorney Kevin McCrae.
The minor pleaded guilty to two counts of third-degree assault, unlawful possession of a firearm and firearm enhancement charges. The juvenile will serve a sentence of 90 to 144 weeks in a juvenile detention facility, according to McCrae.
The suspect and victim’s names will not be released, as the Columbia Basin Herald does not identify minors who are victims of crimes nor those that perpetrate crimes in most instances and law enforcement generally will not identify suspects less than 18 years of age.
The Grant County Sheriff’s Office reported that the incident, which took place Aug. 16, began as a verbal altercation between rival gang members. During the confrontation, the suspect discharged a firearm, injuring two juvenile victims.
Both victims were transported to Samaritan Healthcare in Moses Lake, where they received treatment for serious but non-life-threatening injuries. A 16-year-old girl, reportedly attending the carnival with the suspect and his family, suffered gunshot wounds to her back. A 14-year-old girl, who was a bystander, was also injured in the leg by the same bullet.
Both victims were reported in stable condition following the incident.