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Original article in TriCity Herald - 02 August 2010
Shooting scares Pasco, WA parkgoers
<broken link removed>
By Michelle Dupler, Herald staff writer
Pasco police are investigating a shooting in the west end of Chiawana Park on Sunday that left one man wounded and hundreds of bystanders terrified.
Pasco police Cpl. Jeff Harpster said a fight broke out among some Hispanic males at 6:10 p.m. and weapons were displayed.
One man ended up shot in the leg and taken to Kadlec Regional Medical Center in Richland, but his wounds were not life-threatening, he said.
Witnesses in the park said one man started shooting at another -- just feet from a playground where children climbed on a jungle gym and slides.
Chadwick Zimmer of Kennewick said he was playing football in the park with his family when the shooting started.
He said he spotted a Hispanic male with a large caliber handgun tucked into his pants underneath his shirt.
A fight broke out and Zimmer heard a pop and saw one man fall backward, holding his hands out and shouting "No!"
Zimmer said he recognized the sound as gunfire, grabbed his kids and dove behind a garbage can to get them out of harm's way.
He said bullets were ricocheting off the ground, and he believes one of them struck one of the men involved in the fight.
A Pasco police officer already was in the park when bullets started flying and started chasing possible suspects.
Zimmer said he saw one of the Hispanic men walking behind the officer holding a gun and thought the officer was going to get shot. Zimmer said he shouted at the man, who started looking around -- Zimmer thinks trying to ditch the gun.
Then people started jumping into cars or running away on foot, he said.
"Everybody was running and screaming," Zimmer said.
Pastor David Rea of Tri-Cities Baptist Church said officers from Pasco, Franklin County and Benton County quickly poured into the park and put themselves between families and the people with guns.
"We had absolutely wonderful officers here," Rea said. "Every citizen should be thankful for them."
Rea said he was about 20 yards away from the spot where the fight broke out, and said the officer already in the park was able to nab four of the people involved on his own.
"His presence underscores the need for more officers on the street," said Rea, who walked around handing bottles of cold water to police as they talked to witnesses in the early evening heat.
He said police officers' quick actions Sunday leave him feeling safe and protected.
"All I know is I saw a bunch of officers put themselves between a crowd and a bunch of guys with guns, so I love them," Rea said.
Harpster said at least 300 people were in the park playing, barbecuing and enjoying the sun when the fight broke out.
Police took into custody seven people believed to be involved in the incident, but no arrests had been made Sunday night.
~~~~~
Shooting scares Pasco, WA parkgoers
<broken link removed>
By Michelle Dupler, Herald staff writer
Pasco police are investigating a shooting in the west end of Chiawana Park on Sunday that left one man wounded and hundreds of bystanders terrified.
Pasco police Cpl. Jeff Harpster said a fight broke out among some Hispanic males at 6:10 p.m. and weapons were displayed.
One man ended up shot in the leg and taken to Kadlec Regional Medical Center in Richland, but his wounds were not life-threatening, he said.
Witnesses in the park said one man started shooting at another -- just feet from a playground where children climbed on a jungle gym and slides.
Chadwick Zimmer of Kennewick said he was playing football in the park with his family when the shooting started.
He said he spotted a Hispanic male with a large caliber handgun tucked into his pants underneath his shirt.
A fight broke out and Zimmer heard a pop and saw one man fall backward, holding his hands out and shouting "No!"
Zimmer said he recognized the sound as gunfire, grabbed his kids and dove behind a garbage can to get them out of harm's way.
He said bullets were ricocheting off the ground, and he believes one of them struck one of the men involved in the fight.
A Pasco police officer already was in the park when bullets started flying and started chasing possible suspects.
Zimmer said he saw one of the Hispanic men walking behind the officer holding a gun and thought the officer was going to get shot. Zimmer said he shouted at the man, who started looking around -- Zimmer thinks trying to ditch the gun.
Then people started jumping into cars or running away on foot, he said.
"Everybody was running and screaming," Zimmer said.
Pastor David Rea of Tri-Cities Baptist Church said officers from Pasco, Franklin County and Benton County quickly poured into the park and put themselves between families and the people with guns.
"We had absolutely wonderful officers here," Rea said. "Every citizen should be thankful for them."
Rea said he was about 20 yards away from the spot where the fight broke out, and said the officer already in the park was able to nab four of the people involved on his own.
"His presence underscores the need for more officers on the street," said Rea, who walked around handing bottles of cold water to police as they talked to witnesses in the early evening heat.
He said police officers' quick actions Sunday leave him feeling safe and protected.
"All I know is I saw a bunch of officers put themselves between a crowd and a bunch of guys with guns, so I love them," Rea said.
Harpster said at least 300 people were in the park playing, barbecuing and enjoying the sun when the fight broke out.
Police took into custody seven people believed to be involved in the incident, but no arrests had been made Sunday night.
~~~~~
