Auburn teen charged as adult in fatal shooting over disrespect

A 16-year-old Auburn boy was charged with second-degree murder Wednesday, accused of killing another teen apparently because he had disrespected the suspect’s gang, according to King County prosecutors.

Alexander Joachin will be tried as an adult because he has been charged with a serious violent offense, charging papers state. Joachin has no criminal history but is a known gang member by Auburn police, say the charges.

Killed was Erick Valdez-Herrera, 17, of Auburn.

Joachin was arrested Friday in Federal Way and will be arraigned Oct. 24.

“The defendant shot the victim six times in the shoulder, back and chest at close range,” Senior Deputy Prosecutor Mary Barbosa wrote in charging documents. “He and several other young men wore bandannas over their faces and ran away after the shooting.”

Police say Joachin told detectives “the victim was being disrespectful to other gang members,” Barbosa wrote.

At 8:30 a.m. Friday, witnesses called 911 and reported a group of young people walked up to a car in the 500 block of 25th Street Southeast and one of them fired multiple shots at the driver, charging papers say.

Valdez-Herrera was unarmed.

One witness identified Joachin as the shooter and he was arrested at 11 p.m. at a residence in Federal Way. Police say he told detectives he shot Valdez-Herrera, according to the charges.

“He explained that his initial thought was to ‘sock him’ but then changed his mind and pulled out the gun that he had concealed in his pants,” charging papers state. “Joachin admitted he shot several times at the victim,” and “spoke about the victim being disrespectful,” say the charges.

This story was originally published October 12, 2016 at 6:26 PM with the headline "Auburn teen charged as adult in fatal shooting over disrespect."