24-year-old arrested in connection with Benton City shooting

A 24-year old man wanted in connection with last week's shooting that injured a Benton City woman, was arrested Thursday night.

Benton County deputies say they received a tip from Kennewick police that 24 year old Christian M. Hernandez of Pasco, WA, would be returning to the Tri-Cities on a bus from Los Angeles.

"The investigation actually determined that the shooting was accidental, most likely accidental, but he is a convicted felon and he is not allowed to possess firearms," says Sergeant Bob Brockman.

Brockman says the suspect faces a charge for weapons violations. Investigators still want to talk with two witnesses to the shooting, but they are believed to have fled to Mexico.

Deputies say Mariah Coronado was shot in the back with a rifle at a Benton City apartment and taken to the hospital in stable condition August 18th. At the time, deputies believed at least six people were in the apartment at the time of the shooting, but when they arrived they said only one woman was there and she was uncooperative with investigators.