Suspect in September shooting in Yakima charged with first-degree assault

YAKIMA – Prosecutors charged a Yakima man with two counts of first-degree assault in connection with a Sept. 17 shooting at an East E Street home.

LaJuan Fonta Allen, 37, was also charged with first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm based on his prior felony convictions.

Prosecutors allege Allen fired multiple shots at an apartment. Nobody was injured, but two people in the apartment were deemed victims in the assault charges.

Police were called to the 200 block of E Street around 10:20 p.m. for a report of a shooting. Witnesses said they saw a man witnesses identified as Allen and a woman get out of a car, and Allen fired shots at an apartment on the street, according to court documents.

Investigators found several 9mm shell casings in the street and bullet holes in one door, documents said.

A relative of one of the victims said she was involved in a court case with Allen and the woman, and they had threatened her, court documents said.

Police determined that there was not enough evidence to arrest the woman as an accomplice.

Allen’s criminal history includes two convictions for first-degree robbery, three for second-degree robbery and one each for first-degree theft and second-degree escape.

He also has a Department of Corrections warrant for his arrest.

He is being held in lieu of $500,000 bail in the Yakima County jail.