YCSO seeks suspect after person shot multiple times
The Yuma County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a shooting Thursday evening at West Main Canal and Riverside Drive that left one person with multiple gunshot wounds.
Sheriff’s office spokesperson Alfonso Zavala said that deputies responded to the location at approximately 6:10 p.m. in reference to a shooting and that the suspect, identified as 24-year-old Gatrick Salas-Fernandez, is yet to be apprehended.
According to Zavala, three friends were fishing together on the West Main Canal when they observed a gray Jeep Cherokee driving in their direction. Once there, Salas-Fernandez allegedly got out of the Jeep and fired multiple rounds at them.
“The case is ongoing and still under investigation,” Zavala said. “They did know each other, but I can’t speculate to whether the suspect was shooting at one of the victims or all three.”
Salas-Fernandez then fled the area in the Jeep toward the Donovan Estates area, where deputies located the vehicle a short time later in the 8400 block of Yavapai Lane.
The YCSO Special Response Team (SRT) and the Criminal Investigation Bureau, with the assistance of the Yuma Police Department Special Enforcement Team (SET), served a search warrant at the residence where the suspect was believed to be, but he was not there.
“The YCSO SRT amd Yuma police SET made entry into the residence, but did not locate the suspect inside,” Zavala said.
One of the victims, Zavala said, sustained multiple gunshot wounds and was transported to Yuma Regional Medical Center and later flown to a Phoenix-area hospital.
Salas-Fernandez, who is from Yuma, is described as 5 foot 4 inches tall, weighing 140 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. He is wanted in connection to this case and is considered armed and dangerous.
The case remains under investigation. Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of SalasFernandez is asked to contact the Yuma County Sheriff’s Office at 928-783-4427, or 78-CRIME to remain anonymous. You can also visit www. yumacountysheriff.org to submit an anonymous tip.