A man was rushed to the hospital with a gunshot wound Wednesday night after Yakima police and a SWAT team converged on the historic South Naches Avenue corridor, and officers say a suspect is now in custody. The shooting happened near South Naches Avenue and East Maple Street, just blocks from downtown Yakima.
Yakima police responded to the shooting near South Naches Avenue and East Maple Street, according to Nonstop Local News. Officers said one man was transported to MultiCare Yakima Memorial Hospital with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound, while another man was taken into custody. Police later deemed the area safe.
A SWAT situation was activated near the intersection as officers investigated the shooting, according to Apple Valley News Now. Police initially urged the public to avoid the immediate block while specialized tactical units worked alongside patrol officers to secure the scene.
A Regional Tactical Response Built Over Decades
The tactical unit that responded is likely part of the Yakima Valley Crisis Response Unit, a regionalized SWAT and Crisis Negotiation Team that draws personnel from the Yakima Police Department, the Yakima County Sheriff's Office, and surrounding agencies, per the Washington State Tactical Officers Association. The team traces its roots to 1977, when it began as the Yakima SWAT Team before expanding into its current multi-agency structure in late 2023.
Local government investment in that regional capability has continued into this year. In May, the Union Gap City Council approved procurement funding for a Lenco BearCat armored vehicle on behalf of the Crisis Response Unit for high-risk tactical operations across the county, with Union Gap serving as the fiduciary agency under the interlocal agreement that funds the regional team.
Level III Trauma Center Handles the Wounded
The wounded man was taken to MultiCare Yakima Memorial Hospital, a 226-bed facility that serves as Central Washington's only designated Level III adult and pediatric trauma center. The hospital's 24-hour emergency department treats roughly 86,000 patients annually across a three-county region of the Yakima Valley, according to the MultiCare Newsroom.
A Corridor With a History of Gun Violence
South Naches Avenue is no stranger to gunfire. In June 2023, officers responded to a gang-related shooting in the 100 block of South Naches Avenue that left two men, ages 49 and 51, injured, according to NewsTalk KIT. Years earlier, in April 2015, 38-year-old Jesse Marquez was shot in the 500 block of South Naches Avenue and later died at what was then Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital, in a case recorded as the Yakima Police Department's second homicide of that year, per the Yakima County Coroner's Office.
The corridor itself carries deep local history. Established in 1885, the Naches Avenue Parkway spans 15 blocks and is recognized as the City of Yakima's oldest designated park greenspace, running through a mix of historic residences and commercial buildings near downtown, according to the City of Yakima Parks & Recreation Division. The street is also home to key social service organizations, including the Rod's House youth drop-in center at 204 S. Naches Ave. and Yakima Neighborhood Health Services housing support at 102 S. Naches Ave.
Firearm Violence in Broader Context
Wednesday's shooting adds to a county where gun violence has driven the majority of homicides in recent years. Yakima County recorded 22 total homicides in 2025, with 16 of those deaths resulting from gunshot wounds, according to the Yakima County Coroner's 2025 Annual Summary. That local pattern stands in contrast to a broader statewide trend: the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs reported that violent crime dropped 13.8% across Washington in 2025 compared to 2024, with total homicides falling 21.6% to 236, per MyNorthwest. Officials noted that even with the decline, homicide numbers remained above pre-pandemic levels.
No further details on the identities of the victim or the suspect, nor the circumstances that led to the shooting, have been released. Hoodline will update this story as more information becomes available.
