Written by YAKIMA, Wash. — A two and half hour standoff between Yakima police and a known gang member ended peacefully, Tuesday afternoon.
Yakima police and a SWAT team surrounded a home on the 600 block of N. 6th Street around 1:30 p.m.
Police were looking for Herminio Rojas, 22, of Yakima, who was wanted for felony pursuit and weapons violations charges. Police said Rojas was hiding inside his mother’s house.
Around 4 p.m., officers arrested Rojas and Amanda Clark, 33, who was also wanted by police. Officers attempted to communicate with the suspect on the phone with the help of hostage negotiators. When Rojas refused, his mother approached police to try and help get him out of the house.
“His mother came forward and requested he be given the opportunity to talk to him, to see if she could talk him out. She was in fact successful, and he came out and surrendered, along with his girlfriend, who is also wanted,” said Chief Sam Granato, Yakima Police Department.
Chief Granato said Rojas has a long history of gang violence in Yakima. Granato said Rojas had recently taken off from police sometime last week and was in possession of a firearm.
Rojas and Clark were booked into the Yakima County jail.
