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MOSES LAKE - Mario Amezcua called his best friend at 9:11 p.m. Friday saying he and four family members were outside his Moses Lake home ready to pick him up to go to a birthday party, according to the friend’s mother. About two minutes later, a truck pulled up to the waiting Amezcua vehicle and fired multiple shots at the car.
Mario, 14, was killed, while four others – a 26-year-old woman, a 17-year-old girl, a 17-year-old boy and a 12-year-old boy – were injured but are expected to survive, according to the Moses Lake Police Department.
“It just happened so quick,” said the friend’s mother, who wished for her and her 15-year-old son to remain anonymous as two of the three suspects are on the loose. “Like, (my son) didn’t even have time to react, you know? He just dropped down, and then it was done.”
She said her son, who was uninjured, fell to the ground and put his hands over his head to avoid the bullets. He looked over, saw Mario, and held him in his arms. Her son called 911.
She said they don’t know why the suspects fired outside their West Loop Drive home.
None of the victims have gang affiliation or were involved in criminal activity, police said.
Moses Lake police Capt. Jeff Sursely said police are not releasing any more information until all suspects are in custody. That includes a motive.
Mario was a student at Frontier Middle School in Moses Lake.
“With profound sadness, we share that one of our students from Frontier Middle School has passed away,” Moses Lake School District Superintendent Carol Lewis wrote in a statement to students’ families in the school district. “We extend our heartfelt condolences to the student’s family, friends, and all those impacted by this tragedy. Losing a young member of our community is devastating.”
The district increased support staff, like counselors, security and police officers, earlier this week at the middle school and other locations in the district to provide added security and emotional support to help students and staff grieve, Lewis wrote.
Cesar A. Cabrera, 14, of Mattawa, Washington, was arrested Monday night at Kadlec Regional Medical Center in Richland, according to Moses Lake police. He was seeking treatment for a gunshot wound to the lower leg that detectives believe was self-inflicted during the shooting.
Cabrera was booked into the Chelan County Juvenile Center in Wenatchee on suspicion of first-degree murder, five counts of first-degree assault, one count of drive-by shooting and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm. He made his first appearance virtually from the detention center Wednesday afternoon.
Two adult suspects, identified by the Grant County Prosecutor’s Office as Jose B. Rodriguez and Matthew Valdez, are wanted for the same eight charges, according to a U.S. Marshals Service news release. The federal agency is offering up to $10,000 ($5,000 per fugitive) for information leading to their arrests.
The U.S. Marshals Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force is working with Moses Lake police, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Washington State Department of Corrections, U.S. Border Patrol and the FBI to locate and apprehend Rodriguez and Valdez, the release said. The suspects should be considered armed and dangerous.
‘We thought this was a good neighborhood’The mother of Mario’s friend called her son and him “inseparable,” as they were always over at each other’s houses.
“They were always together,” she said.
She said her son and several others are traumatized by the shooting, which she said left Mario’s two aunts, brother and cousin injured.
Her family hasn’t been staying at their home since the shooting, and they are considering moving permanently, she said.
She was at another child’s birthday party with her other son when the shooting broke out. She said she didn’t know what happened and was “freaking out” when she got home and saw the crime scene. Bloody bandages and other items were left behind by the time police cleared the scene well into the next morning.
“It was awful,” she said. “I’m just in shock still. Even my son, like, we don’t know how to react. But he feels like it’s not real. He wants to just call him, and he can’t.”
Several other neighbors, like Mary Gonzalaz, heard gunshots Friday night.
She took her children into a back room of the house after she heard the shots. Then, she and her husband came outside and heard a woman screaming, “Mario,” “They shot him in the head” and “He’s not moving.”
Gonzalaz called police, who responded quickly.
“It’s scary,” Gonzalaz said. “We thought this was a good neighborhood.”
Police swarmed the neighborhood again Wednesday afternoon about one block from the shooting. Gonzalaz said someone got out of a car involved in a nearby crash and retreated into a home in the neighborhood. She said police arrested the person after a standoff with SWAT.
Kris Miller, another neighbor, was playing video games inside his home when he heard the gunshots and screams Friday night.
“That sounded a little too close,” he said he told his friend who he was gaming with online.
He turned his lights off and locked his door.
Roberta Lyons didn’t hear gunshots but saw the police cars and ambulances that followed. She said the shooting makes her scared, sad and frustrated.
“They’re babies,” she said of the victims.
She got several calls asking if her 14-year-old son, Brycen Lyons-Curry, was OK when her loved ones heard it was a 14-year-old boy who was killed.
Brycen went to school with Mario and played football with him.
“It’s a tragic event,” she said. “My heart goes out to Mario’s family and that family that had to witness and hold their loved one while he died.”
Brycen was also inside his home when the gunfire erupted. He said the shooting makes him feel terrified “because it could have been me.”
A GoFundMe set up for Mario’s family raised nearly $15,000 as of Wednesday night.
One suspect appears in court as others remain at large
Cabrera sat at a table Wednesday at the Wenatchee facility for his court appearance in Grant County Juvenile Court in Ephrata, where Judge Melissa Chlarson presided and the prosecution and defense made their arguments regarding probable cause and Cabrera’s bond amount.
Chlarson determined there was sufficient probable cause for all eight charges considering the “totality of circumstances” in the affidavit. She set his bond at $500,000 after a $1 million bond argument from the prosecution and $100,000 from the defense.
Cabrera’s attorney, Peter Hibbard, argued probable cause was not established to charge his client with first-degree murder, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison. Hibbard said he read the 32-page probable cause affidavit, which was sealed from the public, two or three times.
“It’s a lot,” he said of the lengthy court document.
Hibbard said there’s no timeline establishing Cabrera in the truck at the time of the shooting and no evidence that blood found in the truck belonged to him.
One witness, who initially lied to police, did not identify Cabrera in a photo lineup as one of the people in the Ford F-150 pickup truck alleged to be involved in the shooting, Hibbard said.
He said witnesses alleged the truck pulled up and occupants asked the Amezcua family if they “bang,” possibly meaning were they involved in gangs, before shots were fired.
Hibbard said there’s no cellphone data, videos or messages to support a first-degree murder charge.
“We don’t have any extrinsic evidence that places Cesar at the scene of this crime,” he said.
There was no clear motive based on the police report, he said.
Grant County Deputy Prosecutor Cole Deaver said one witness told police he identified Cabrera as one of the three male suspects in the F-150 and that blood in the backseat of the truck placed Cabrera in the truck at the time of the shooting.
Deaver said one witness identified Cabrera as someone who left a motel party in the truck.
He said the “Do you bang?” comment before shots were fired is evidence of first-degree premeditated murder.
Deaver said Cabrera has several prior criminal convictions and failures to appear for court. He argued Cabrera is a threat to community safety and likely to intimidate witnesses if released.
Chlarson told Cabrera he is not permitted to associate with his codefendants and the Norteno criminal street gang as part of his pretrial release conditions. Deaver declined to say after the court hearing whether Cabrera was in the gang.
Cabrera is scheduled for a status hearing April 14.
Prosecutors filed a motion Wednesday to decline juvenile jurisdiction in the case and transfer the matter to an adult court for prosecution, according to court documents.
Officials are asking anyone with information about the outstanding suspects to contact the nearest U.S. Marshals Service office or local law enforcement, the U.S. Marshals Service communications center at (800) 336-0102, or at www.fbi.gov/tips.
“I hope that they find them so people can sleep peacefully,” the friend’s mother said.
PULLMAN - Authorities reported that student athletes at Washington State University (WSU) are being targeted by a new scam.
WSU Police posted this message on Facebook:
Attention parents of student-athletes: We have received reports of a scam where individuals posing as members of a ‘police department’ or the NCAA are calling parents, claiming their child has been arrested. They then request bail money to keep the incident out of the press. THIS IS A SCAM! Do not send any money or provide personal information. Stay vigilant and protect yourself from fraud.
“Anytime we get a hint of one of these, we alert the public,” Dawn Daniels, Assistant chief of WSU Police, told MyNorthwest. “We’ve had students fall victim to various versions of these, and we try to prevent them whenever possible.”
WSU scammers often ask for pre-paid money cards
Daniels said the requests for money can run into the thousands of dollars.
“They ask for pre-paid money cards, which should be the first indication that this is a scam,” Daniels explained.
If students get one of these calls, they are asked to call WSU Police. Daniels also advises checking the Federal Trade Commission website and filing the information.
Daniels said her best advice is, “Don’t give information out over the phone.” She said to look up the supposed source of the call and check to see if the communication was legitimate.
Maybe the best advice of all: “If a scammer says they will give you money if you provide certain information, don’t do it. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is,” she said.
SEATTLE — A controversial homeless shelter in Seattle's Little Saigon neighborhood has closed its doors, a year after its planned closure was first announced.
The Navigation Center on 12th Avenue and Weller Street is now boarded up and surrounded by a chain link fence. It was last slated to close in January, then was delayed until the end of March. The Downtown Emergency Service Center, which operates the low-barrier supportive shelter, said it closed March 18th.
"It would have been nice to know, but it's okay, it’s okay as long as it closed by end of the month, that’s a big deal for us," said Gary Lee with the Chinatown-International District Public Safety Council. He members of the Council and other community groups rallied outside the facility in mid-February, putting the city on notice about their frustration over the delay and expectation for the facility to close at the end of March.
"A relief, a big relief to finally see it closed," said Lee, "Hopefully it won't become anything like it again and will turn into something beneficial to the community, not another human-services-use here, already have plenty in our neighborhood."
Community advocates, including Lee, believe the facility is part of the rampant crime issues and illegal activity, including open drug use in the neighborhood.
"What they're doing is illegal activities, selling drugs, buying drugs, selling stolen goods," said Lee, referring to activity he sees daily outside the facility, along the sidewalk and the neighboring streets. "I think it was a bad experiment, an experiment that turned out poorly."
"The Navigation Center was an experiment it was modeled after a San Francisco experiment as well. I think there should have been assessments, there should have been accountability, and to see how well that center is performing," said Tanya Woo, a former Seattle City Council member and CID community advocate. "I think the Navigation Center low-barrier model may work if it's reimagined."
DESC was not available for an interview, but in a statement said the Navigation Center provides critical shelter for people who couldn’t access traditional options.
"Since opening in 2017, it has helped hundreds of the most vulnerable people transition from the streets into permanent supportive housing, offering behavioral health support and a pathway to stability. We are proud of the work accomplished through this program and the impact it had on so many lives," according to the statement.
The service center said an 'inaccurate narrative' has blamed the Navigation Center for illegal activity and crime in Little Saigon and pointed to issues such as affordable housing, public drug use and people in distress.
"Placing blame on resources like the Navigation Center overlooks the complex nature of homelessness and the systemic issues that contribute to it, “ according to DESC.
KOMO requested DESC’s annual operating costs for the Navigation Center and the number of individuals served as well as those moved into permanent housing since it opened in October of 2017.
DESC didn't provide any specifics other than to say it has helped 'hundreds' of the most vulnerable people transition from the streets into permanent supportive housing, offering behavioral health support and a pathway to stability.”
In 2024 KOMO reported there were 706 individuals helped as of March of 2024 and 200 moved into permanent housing since the facility opened.
"The Navigation Center provided a vital opportunity for highly marginalized individuals to regain safety, engage in supportive relationships, and take steps toward rebuilding their lives. Its closure does not resolve the neighborhood’s challenges, but it does mark the end of an important resource that helped many find housing, healthcare, income, and stability," according to the DESC.
During a press briefing on an unrelated matter, KOMO News asked King County Executive Dow Constantine about the closure and the community’s concerns. He made it clear that DESC is better suited to answer questions about the Nav Center but offered this:
"We try things if they don't work, we reassess, and then we try new approaches," said Constantine.
The Star Center is considered a 'new model'. It is now open and located at 619 3rd Avenue and Cherry Street in downtown Seattle at the site of the former housing facility operated by Plymouth Housing, according to DESC.
In a news release announcing the facility, DESC said the STAR (Stability Through Access and Resources) will change how the community's highest needs population gets off the streets and into care. The facility serves as a behavioral health-focused non-congregate shelter program specifically for unsheltered adults facing significant mental health and substance use challenges, offering services to lead to permanent housing.
The new facility can accommodate 85 individuals. DESC said all individuals living at the Navigation Center have been transferred to the new STAR facility, but did not share an exact number.
Outside the boarded-up building on Wednesday around lunchtime time it was quiet, a few people passing by on the sidewalk, and a small group clustered on a corner of the property.
"I'm here every day," said Richard, a vendor who works inside the Seattle Indian Health Board directly across the street from the Navigation Center. "This is a notorious place for people to come. open street market for anything you want, I grew up here, been here for 64 years, I know a little bit about this neighborhood."
He said he noticed the plywood on the doors and windows last week, and realized the facility was no more. He said in a week's time, he's already noticed a "huge difference" and less activity around the building. He offered that the city is responding to the neighborhood's concerns with more outreach workers, cleaning crews, and police patrols.
Lee said he's noticed it too, as have members of the business community. He described it as a good and hopeful start, but stressed there's still a lot to do.
"I think we're about 50% there," Lee said.
The Seattle Mayor's office added that The Star Center will build on the city's investment in expanding affordable housing and the citywide expansion of the CARE Department's behavioral health responder team, and implement a range of public safety interventions in the CID and Little Saigon, including:
The Downtown Activation Team (DAT) expanded to CID and Little Saigon in November last year with twice-a-day cleanings and coordinated law enforcement patrols to disrupt dangerous and illegal behaviors.
Outreach service providers are also working through the DAT pilot to offer case management and necessary referrals to services.
Mayor Harrell transmitted new legislation focused on illegal vending of stolen goods in public – a persistent challenge in the CID that hurts small businesses.
The new technology pilot will deploy more tools like CCTV cameras and a Real Time Crime Center to prevent and solve crimes in the neighborhood. The cameras are currently in procurement and permitting phase and should be installed in the coming months.
We’ve added canopy lights to enhance the safety of Hing Hay Park and are planning to install more at other locations in the neighborhood soon.
Our office is working with Friends of Little Saigon on the Phố ẹp, Beautiful Neighborhood, an initiative that focuses on community-led environmental design improvements to prevent crime.
City launched graffiti removal pilot with Uplift Northwest to remove graffiti from private property.
KENT - The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) recognizes three Kent middle schoolers for their bravery in stopping the kidnapping of a 6-year-old girl.
Last week, Kylie, Bentley, and Esme were presented with certificates at their middle school praising ‘Exceptional Service in the Public Interest’ by Seattle’s Violent Crimes Against Children squad.
“Their bravery and selflessness bring honor to each of them, to their families and their community,” said Steve Vienneau, an FBI Supervisory Special Agent.
KIRO 7′s Samantha Lomibao spoke exclusively with Kylie, Bentley, and Esme in July when it all happened.
Eight months later, they say it was just about doing the right thing when something felt wrong.
“We saved a little girl’s life, but we didn’t think it would go this far. But I’m glad it did,” said Esme.
On July 16, 2024, the preteens spotted a 40-year-old man pulling a 6-year-old girl by her wrist at an apartment complex on Kent Kangley Road.
“What could’ve happened like, really, really makes me sad because it’s just like really traumatizing,” Esme added.
The 40-year-old suspect, Hayder Hasan Albu-Mohammed, pled guilty to an attempted luring charge in December.
He was released and put on unsupervised probation for 24 months.
The judge ordered Albu-Mohammed to have no contact with a minor, without supervision, and he’s not allowed to live at the Kent apartment complex where he was arrested.
The girls say they are keeping their guards up no matter what.
“When we’re playing volleyball outside, and like we’ll see someone kinda sketchy, I’ll be like ‘guys, look’,” Kylie said.
They say they’re watching the neighborhood closely to stop it from happening ever again.
“It’s kind of changed my perspective for me on like, ‘Oh, who’s that hanging out with that little girl? Are they related?’” Bentley added.
OLYMPIA - The community rallied around The Bridge Music Project, an Olympia-based nonprofit for youth music, after it was hit with a devastating robbery.
Using The Bridge Music Project’s GoFundMe page and its “instrument registry,” the community raised more than $11,000 to help the organization pay for brand-new instruments that were stolen in the robbery.
“We’ve received so much love from the community and words of support and contributions to our GoFundMe program,” Bobby Williams, the founder of The Bridge Music Project, said. “We’ve been doing this work in the community for the last 10 years.”
The Bridge Music Project works with many children and teens who have experienced trauma and have dealt with situations like foster care, homelessness, and incarceration.
“These kids are going to get everything that got stolen from them, and they’re going to get all those opportunities we thought we’re going to be lost,” Shanelle Berry, a participant-turned-mentor with the program, told KING 5.
A $10,000 robbery
Williams told police the thieves broke in through the nonprofit’s backdoor, stealing approximately $10,000 worth of musical instruments. He described The Bridge Music Project as a place to use music, mentorship, and community as tools for youth empowerment.
“These are tools that young artists rely on to express themselves, process trauma, and grow through music,” Williams wrote on social media. “What’s most upsetting is that The Bridge is meant to be a safe and supportive space. This violation goes beyond stolen equipment; it shakes the sense of security we’ve worked so hard to build for our youth.”
Included in the losses were guitars, amplifiers, pedal mixers, electric drum kit mixers, and a drum circle setup. The nonprofit filed a police report when the break-in happened on March 14.
“A lot of different pieces of equipment that we use,” Williams told MyNorthwest. “Basically, our house set of equipment for when you are performing and recording with us.”
The Bridge Music Project received grants to fund its “house set” of equipment to give the young musicians a near-professional experience. But, according to Williams, the nonprofit will not pause programming, instead pivoting to a bare-bones version of what they’ve been doing.
“As a grassroots nonprofit, this loss hits us hard,” Williams wrote. “Not only do we need to replace the stolen equipment, but we also need to strengthen our security to prevent this from happening again.”
The Olympia Police Department (OPD) is heading up an investigation into the robbery.
SEATTLE — A Seattle man who concocted multiple fraud schemes was sentenced Friday in a federal court.
Westcott Francis-Curley will spend three years in federal prison after pleading guilty in December to two counts of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. In three separate schemes targeting his former employer, a COVID assistance program and a former significant other, Francis-Curley ultimately stole over $600,000 according to federal prosecutors.
“Mr. Francis-Curley’s fraud spiral stemmed from greed,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. “After his employer discovered his theft, he stole from a program designed to keep small businesses afloat during the pandemic. And when those proceeds were gone, he committed identity theft against his former romantic partner. This sentence is an important step to break the cycle of fraud.”
In 2019, Francis-Curley used the bank accounts of his employer to purchase cloud computing resources, then sold them back to the company at many times their market value. Prosecutors said he obtained over $550,000 and was caught while trying to steal another $500,000. He spent the money on "extravagances, such as private jets," prosecutors said.
In 2020, Francis-Curley filed false paperwork with the Paycheck Protection Program, a federal assistance program designed to help small businesses and their employees through the pandemic. He said he controlled two companies that had large payrolls and obtained nearly $100,000, despite these companies and costs not existing.
Two years later, Francis-Curley applied for and secured a credit card in the name of his former romantic partner, using it for over $1,000 in "personal expenditures."
Francis-Curley has also agreed to pay restitution to his former employer, to the Small Business Administration and to the person whose name he used to commit identity theft.