An aggressive thug picked on the wrong father to mess with he tried to threaten his family in a Washington dog park.
The father was at the park in Yakima with his “small child” when a stranger started to threaten them.
When the dad tried to leave with his son, the man crossed the line and went after them.
The dad reached his limit at this point and drew his weapon, shooting the man dead.
Multiple people called 911 around 2:30 pm saying a man was acting erratically at the Randall dog park, the Yakima Herald-Republic reported.
Authorities said in a city police news release that witnesses reported that he walked up to and began interacting with a man and child in a threatening way, KAPP-TV reported.
The threatening man was later identified as Daniel Ortega, 22, of Yakima.
Ortega “attempted to endanger the life of the small child with his words and actions,” the Herald-Republic said, citing the police report.
The father told Ortega to leave them alone.
However, witnesses said Ortega persisted, KAPP reported.
In fact, when the dad tried to leave the park with his child, witnesses allegedly reported that Ortega came at them again in a threatening way, the station said.
When his attempts to de-escalate the situation failed, the 28-year-old father “discharged his legally owned firearm in defense of himself and his child,” police said.
Yakima Police Capt. Shawn Boyle said the father was protecting himself and his son and was not the aggressor.
Ortega died at the scene, Boyle also told the paper.
He added that the father and Ortega didn’t appear to know each other.
Police said the father cooperated with detectives, and witnesses corroborated his account.
The father was released by police after consulting with the Yakima County prosecutor, the paper said.
KAPP said the father has not been arrested or charged.
It’s not known what kind of threats Ortega made toward the father and son.
The case remains under investigation and will be turned over to the Yakima County Prosecutor’s Office for a formal decision, the station added.
The Herald-Republic said it was the second Yakima shooting death investigation that same day.
About 12 hours before on East Beech Street, a home invasion shooting took place.
An armed home intruder came to the door of a home, and according to the home’s occupants, a physical struggle ensued.
One of the home’s occupants armed himself and shot the intruder, the paper said.
Officers responded to a call of gunshots fired at 2:05 am.
Police said a 29-year-old male was found dead in the backyard.
Detectives interviewed the two men, and they were released afterward following consultations with the Yakima County Prosecutor’s Office, the paper said.
The case is still under investigation and will be forwarded to the prosecutor’s office, police said.
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