Firearms Owners Against Crime
Institute for Legal, Legislative and Educational Action
Institute for Legal, Legislative and Educational Action
A man shot and killed another man who threatened his child on Sunday afternoon at the Randall dog park in Yakima, police said.
Multiple people called 911 around 2:30 p.m. to report a man was acting erratically at the dog park at 1399 S. 48th Ave., according to a Yakima Police Department news release.
The man, later identified as Daniel Ortega, 22, of Yakima, was interacting with another man and his child at the park, and "attempted to endanger the life of the small child with his words and actions," the police news release said.
The father told Ortega to leave his family alone, and attempted to leave the park, the release said. When his attempts to de-escalate the incident failed, the 28-year-old Yakima man "discharged his legally owned firearm in defense of himself and his child," the release said.
The man who fired the weapon was protecting himself and his son, and was not the aggressor, said Yakima police Capt. Shawn Boyle. Ortega and the man didn't appear to know each other and Ortega died at the scene, Boyle said.
The 28-year-old man cooperated with detectives, and interviews with witnesses corroborated his account, the release said.
After consultation with the Yakima County prosecutor, police released the 28-year-old, the news release said.
The Washington State Patrol and Yakima County sheriff's deputies also responded.
It was the second homicide investigation in less than 24 hours for Yakima detectives. They responded to a home invasion shooting early Sunday morning on East Beech Street.
Randall Park, which is a distance away from the dog park and separated by a creek, remained open.