Police have video, suspects, weapon-- only lack victims

SUNNYSIDE, Wash. -- Police are looking for the victims of a bloody crowbar beating Sunday night at a convenience store.

Police say they found a car containing suspects with blood on them and a bloody crowbar, but no victims of a gang fight at the AM/PM convenience store on Waneta Road near Interstate 82's Exit 69.

About 8:30 p.m. Sunday, a Sunnyside officer responding to a report of a fight arrived at the store to find a 1992 Honda Civic driving away, said Charlotte Hinderlider, a police spokeswoman.

When he pulled over the car about a block away, he discovered all four occupants -- two men and two boys -- had blood on them, Hinderlider said. He took all of them into custody and found a crowbar with blood on it inside the car.

All four are gang members, Hinderlider said.

A 19-year-old Beverly man, a 21-year-old Desert Aire man and a 16-year-old Mattawa boy are being held in Sunnyside on suspicion of disorderly conduct, possession of a dangerous weapon and possible other changes. One of the boys was released with no pending charges, Hinderlider said.

A store security video shows the occupants of the Civic get out and attack the occupants of a green car, Hinderlider said. One of them appears to be swinging the crowbar, Hinderlider said.

However, the video does not show the occupants of the green car get out.

Police know nothing about the victims or the make and model of the green car, Hinderlider said. It was gone by the time the officer arrived. Area hospitals have not reported any injuries that match the description of the fight, Hinderlider said.

The AM/PM was the site of the Jan. 4 fatal shooting of Jesus Tlaseca Sosa, 22, of Sunnyside. Police have arrested a 25-year-old Sunnyside man in that case. Police do not suspect a connection, Hinderlider said.

They ask anyone who knows about the incident to call the station at 509-837-2120.