Man Charged with Shooting Sunnyside Police Officer
A man arrested for shooting a Sunnyside Police Officer was charged during an appearance in Yakima County Superior Court on Wednesday. 43-year-old Alejandro Mario Palomarez of Sunnyside faces a charge of first-degree assault. He's being held in the Yakima County jail. Authorities say he's also charged with a firearms enhancement and an aggravating factor in the shooting both of which could mean more time behind bars if he's convicted.
Officers were called to the suspects home after a report of shots fired
Sunnyside Police say Palomarez shot Officer Javier Arredondo after police received a call of shots fired at a home in the 1400 block of South Eighth Street in Sunnyside on October 10. When officers arrived they found Palomarez shooting a gun inside his home and out into the street.
When officers arrived bullets were flying
As Arrendondo and other officers arrived bullets were flying and they took cover. However one of the bullets struck Officer Javier Arredondo in the neck. Palomarez fled the home and was eventually arrested after police used nonlethal foam bullets to stop him and take him into custody. No shots were fired by any officers in the incident. The Officer, Arrendondo was taken to a Sunnyside hospital then transferred to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle where he was treated and recently released. Arrendondo is now recovering at home.
A judge on Wednesday set bail for Palomarez at $500,000. The investigation continues Today by the Yakima Valley Special Investigative Unit.