Arrests made in drive-by shooting

OTHELLO – Two men are in the Adams County Jail in connection with a drive-by shooting near Othello. Eddie Barajas, 34, is charged with reckless driving, drive-by shooting, possession of a stolen firearm and carrying a concealed pistol without a permit, court records show.

Kevin Morris, 26, is charged with attempted first-degree murder, drive-by shooting, possession of a stolen firearm and unlawful possession of a firearm, records show.

At a Jan. 7 court hearing, Adams County Superior Court Judge Andrea Russell set bail for Barajas at $25,000 and for Morris at $3 million.

According to police reports, Adams County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 5 to 2272 W. Shelly Road, for a report of gun shots.

When they arrived, deputies found several holes on the exterior of the home consistent with bullet holes, records show. A bullet was found inside the home and several empty shell casings were found outside.

Witnesses reported hearing several “loud pops” and saw what appeared to be a gray Mazda 3 hatchback fleeing the scene, records show.

At about 1:30 p.m. Jan. 6, deputies were dispatched to a traffic collision on South Thacker Road, near Rainier Road west of Othello, where they found a Mazda 3 matching the description of the fleeing vehicle in the shooting incident, records show. The vehicle was registered to Eddie Barajas, who was walking near where the vehicle was stuck in snow.

According to the probable cause statement, items found at the scene of the collision connected the vehicle and Barajas to the shooting incident the night before.

In an interview with deputies, Barajas allegedly admitted to driving the Mazda on West Shelly Road the night of the shooting, and identified Morris as the passenger, records show.

Morris gave Barajas directions to the home, where he pointed the gun out the passenger window and shot at the house several times as they went by, records show. On the afternoon of Jan. 6, deputies located Morris walking along state Highway 26 near Moon Road, and took him into custody.

According to the probable cause statement, the shooting appears to be in retaliation for an incident in November 2021, when David Leal-Cantu, an occupant of the home on Shelly Road, and employee of Adams County Pet Rescue, reported an injured dog at 2254 W. Rainier Road, where Morris resides, records show.

Court records show Morris was upset Leal-Cantu had “snitched on him” and threatened to “shoot up his house” in retaliation.