Officials release name of 16-year-old shot, killed in Vancouver parking lot
Police say the shooting happened after a fight broke out between two groups of young people Monday night.
VANCOUVER, Wash. (KPTV) - Clark County officials have released the name of a 16-year-old boy who was shot and killed on Monday night in a Vancouver parking lot.
On Thursday, the county medical examiner said Hector Edwin Soto Martinez of Vancouver died from a gunshot wound.
People who live and work near NE 18th Street and NE Andresen Road in Vancouver are used to quiet – not violence.
“I mean the only noise is traffic noise,” Tim Valenti said. “Occasionally a motorcycle in my neighborhood but not guns, not shootings.”
Valenti lives within a mile of the Arco Gas Station just off NE 18th Street, where Vancouver police said that Soto Martinez was shot on Monday night. He later died at a nearby hospital.
“It’s terrible. It’s awful. Especially with somebody so young,” Valenti said. “I’m used to hearing stuff like this from big cities, real metropolitan areas. I’m not used to hearing it in my hometown.”
Police said the shooting happened around 8:30 p.m. after a fight broke out between two groups of young people in the parking lot. During that fight, people pulled out guns and shots were fired.
In addition to the teen who died, a 17-year-old boy and another 16-year-old boy were shot and injured.
“It’s so sad,” said Celia Gonzalez, who works across the street. “I hope the family is going to be strong because they’re kids. They just started life.”
Vancouver Police are still investigating who fired their gun and why. Officers arrested a 17-year-old boy near the scene on two weapons charges – unlawful possession of a firearm and possession of a stolen firearm.
No other arrests have been made as of Wednesday night.
“That young person could have lived another 70 years,” Valenti said. “I really hate to see it, and I worry about the implications. I worry about my wife and other family members. They’re not as safe as I thought they were.”
Vancouver Police could not tell FOX 12 how the two teens who suffered non-life-threatening injuries are doing.
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