Jury picked for coroner’s inquest into Pasco police shooting of man

PASCO – A jury has been selected for a coroner’s inquest into the 2015 death of a Mexican man shot by three Pasco police officers.

Seven jurors were seated Monday and were scheduled on Tuesday to begin reviewing evidence in the death of 35-year-old Antonio Zambrano-Montes.

The coroner’s inquest is a fact-finding proceeding since local, state and federal prosecutors all declined to pursue criminal charges against the three officers.

The shooting was captured on video and sparked weeks of peaceful protests in Pasco.

The Tri-City Herald reported that Zambrano-Montes was a Mexican farmworker who was high on meth and was throwing large rocks at passing cars and the responding officers in downtown Pasco.

Franklin County Coroner Dan Blasdel pushed for the inquest to ensure the community feels the shooting investigation was transparent.