Man Shoots Burglar Found in Yakima Home

Yakima Police are investigating the cities latest homicide reported Thursday. Capt. Jay Seely says officers were called to 207 East N Street at about 7:47 p.m. after getting a 911 call from a woman that there was a burglar in her daughter's bedroom. A press release says the woman told police her boyfriend was armed with a pistol and was confronting the burglar inside the home. Capt. Seely says the 911 dispatcher heard someone yell and then shots were fired.
When police arrived they found the boyfriend waiting for police outside along with the woman and her 6 kids ages 7-14-years-old.
Inside the home police found 38-year-old Joe Mendoza dead from multiple gunshot wounds to his chest. Police say he was a neighbor of the family.
Majors Crimes detectives from the Criminal Investigations Division are interviewing the 6 children and 2 adults who were in the residence just prior to the shooting. They are also in contact with Prosecutor Joe Brusic to determine the appropriate charges, if any, for the boyfriend, who fired the shots. Capt. Seely says "we later learned, Mendoza was a neighbor, who lived next to the female and her boyfriend,” The investigation continues Today.
Police are still looking for the person who shot a 17-year-old gang member last Monday as he was riding in a vehicle with his mother at the intersection of 16th Avenue and Fruitvale Blvd. He's being treated at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. Another 25-year-old man was shot in the stomach during an incident last Monday night. The man who was shot refused to talk to police and tell them what happened. Capt. Jay Seely says they know the community is very concerned about another shooting happening in an area where innocent people could be shot.

If anyone has information about this shooting or any other shooting you are encouraged to contact the Yakima Police Department at (509) 575-6200.