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Man threatens father and his 'small child' at dog park, even comes at them when they try to leave, witnesses say — then dad shoots man dead
JEWEL SAMAD/AFP via Getty Images

Man threatens father and his 'small child' at dog park, even comes at them when they try to leave, witnesses say — then dad shoots man dead

A man was threatening a father and his "small child" at a dog park in Yakima, Washington, on Sunday afternoon — and even came at them when the father tried to leave with his son, witnesses said.

With that, the dad shot the man dead.

What are the details?

Multiple people called 911 around 2:30 p.m. saying a man was acting erratically at the Randall dog park, the Yakima Herald-Republic reported, citing a city police news release.

Authorities said 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 — later identified as Daniel Ortega, 22, of Yakima — "attempted to endanger the life of the small child with his words and actions," the Herald-Republic said, citing the police news release.

The father told Ortega to leave them alone, but 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 deescalate the situation failed, the 28-year-old father "discharged his legally owned firearm in defense of himself and his child," the paper said, citing the news release.

Yakima Police Capt. Shawn Boyle added to the Herald-Republic said the father was protecting himself and his son and was not the aggressor.

Ortega died at the scene, Boyle also told the paper, adding that the father and Ortega didn't appear to know each other.

The father cooperated with detectives, and witnesses corroborated his account, the Herald-Republic said, citing the release.

Police released the father 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, but the case remains under investigation and will be turned over to the Yakima County Prosecutor's Office for a formal decision, the station added.

Another fatal shooting earlier that same day

The Herald-Republic said it was the second Yakima homicide investigation that same day, as a home invasion shooting took place about 12 hours before on East Beech Street.

An armed home intruder came to the door of a home, and according to the home's occupants, a physical struggle ensued, after which 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 a.m., the Herald-Republic said, adding that police said a 29-year-old male was found dead in the back yard.

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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