Drive-by shootings hit Yakima and Seattle

Unfortunately, a series of new gang crimes are in the news this week. As the Tri-City Herald reports:

In Sunnyside, a 16-year-old girl was hit twice in the back when shots were fired into a home where she was sleeping on the 1100 block of Tacoma Avenue around 12:45 a.m.

Multiple shots were fired from an assault rifle from the neighboring alley, Hinderlider said. The girl was being treated at a local hospital...A short time later, officers received a call about shots being fired in the 700 block of Bagley Drive. A similar high-powered assault rifle was used to shoot multiple shots at a home, Hinderlider said, but no one was hurt....About three hours later, shots were fired in Outlook at a home with known ties to gang activity, Russell said.

The home was shot at more than a dozen times and several rounds narrowly missed people inside. Seven people, including children as young as 2, reportedly were inside sleeping, he said...The suspects are said to have extensive gang ties and criminal histories and were wearing gang colors.

Speaking of gang ties, the Yakima Herald has more information about the suspects (emphasis added):

Three were ordered held on $100,000 bail; a fourth suspect, who has been convicted of eight felonies, had bail set at $250,000.

They are suspected of opening fire early Monday on an Outlook home with gang ties, according to the Yakima County Sheriff's Office. Seven people were in the home -- including children as young as 2 -- and several were narrowly missed by the rounds, authorities said.

The suspects range in age from 18 to 32. Three are Lower Valley residents; the fourth is believed to be from the Spokane area.

The Sunnyside teen who was shot has been transferred to Seattle for surgery. She's in our thoughts and prayers. Meanwhile, according to the SeattlePI.com, a drive-by occurred in Seattle on Wednesday:

A young man was shot in the chest Wednesday during a drive-by shooting in the 9300 block of 51st Avenue South, Seattle police reported.

Two suspects -- a man and a woman -- were arrested after trying to get away. Police were called about 4:20 p.m., police Detective Renee Witt said.

The victim, 17 or 18, was rushed to Harborview Medical Center with life-threatening injuries, Witt said.

Police think the shooting is gang-related, Witt said. Officers recovered a handgun during the investigation, she said.

Our proposed legislation, HB 1126, is designed to reduce gang violence. But it's stuck in committee, where many bills die.

Learn more about this bill and others on our legislative page.

-Dan Sytman-