Update | 14-year-old charged with manslaughter after Tri-Cities teen shot at a gang party

Cameron Probert

A 14-year-old is charged with manslaughter in the shooting death of a 17-year-old at a gang-related party Saturday night in Kennewick.

Kennewick detectives were informed Tuesday that Elias Salazar died at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, according to a Kennewick police news release.

Talen Trumble, 14, told investigators he inadvertently shot Salazar at a party, according to Benton County court documents.

Elias Salazar was pronounced dead Tuesday after being shot at a weekend party in Kennewick by another teen, say investigators.
Elias Salazar was pronounced dead Tuesday after being shot at a weekend party in Kennewick by another teen, say investigators.

Salazar was rushed to Kadlec Regional Medical Center in Richland and then was flown to Harborview, according court documents and a GoFundMe created by Lindy Barrett.

He was pronounced brain dead Tuesday morning, Barrett wrote.

“(His) mother and father are going to need help with the funeral and hospital expenses, if you can help or find it in your heart to help them please do so,” she wrote. Donations can be made to bit.ly/SalazarGoFundMe.

Kennewick police found Salazar with a head wound and unresponsive outside of a home at a mobile home park on the 800 block of North Volland Street shortly before 9:30 p.m. Saturday.

Investigators were able to find a video from a neighbor in which a single shot could be heard and then five males were seen running west from the scene, according to an affidavit written by Kennewick Detective Kirk Nebeker.

Kennewick police were called Oct. 15 to the Volland Manor mobile home park, where they found Elias Salazar, 17, with a head injury from a gunshot.
Kennewick police were called Oct. 15 to the Volland Manor mobile home park, where they found Elias Salazar, 17, with a head injury from a gunshot.

Most of the people were wearing red, which is associated with Nortenos gang members. A witness confirmed that Salazar is associated with the gang, according to court records.

Trumble, who is a few days away from his 15th birthday, was one of the teens seen running, said police.

He later told officers he was drinking with Salazar and a group of fellow Nortenos that night. He said he was holding Salazar’s gun and was laughing with his finger on the trigger when he accidentally fired the gun.

Salazar never regained consciousness, so police were not able to hear his side of events.

Trumble was initially being held at the Benton Franklin Juvenile Detention Center in Kennewick on an investigative hold for assault. He has now been charged as a juvenile with second-degree manslaughter, according to court documents.

Prosecutors have not asked to move the case into adult court.

Anyone with possible information on the incident is asked to call the police department’s non-emergency number at 509-628-0333.

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