Court documents reveal moments leading up to deadly shooting of Garfield High schooler
Apr 29, 2025, 7:22 AM
Salvador “Junior” Granillo, 18, was shot at a house party in Yakima and later died at the hospital. (Photo courtesy of Garfield High School Parent Teacher Student Association)
(Photo courtesy of Garfield High School Parent Teacher Student Association)
Court documents reveal the moments that led up to the shooting of a Garfield High School student at a house party hours away from home.
On April 20, 18-year-old Salvador “Junior” Granillo was shot at a house party in Yakima and later died at the hospital.
According to court documents, when Granillo and three others arrived at the party on South Keys Road, a person in a Raiders jersey asked them for their “federal names.” The group ignored the man and went outside to sit.
When Granillo tried to go back inside to tell his girlfriend that he wanted to leave, the man in the Raiders jersey was holding the door closed.
The two men– Granillo and the man in the Raiders jersey– began arguing.
Witnesses said the man in the Raiders jersey spit in Granillo’s face, and then Granillo punched him in the face.
As the man reeled back from the punch, he reached into his waistband, pulled out a gun and began firing, according to court documents.
Witnesses said the shooter looked shocked.
“There was no reason for him to do what he did. He was just trying to get to me. All he was trying to do was find me,” Granillo’s girlfriend told KIRO 7 at a vigil for him last week.
Friends took Granillo to the hospital, where he later died.
Those with Granillo that night told police what happened.
After talking to witnesses and investigating the shooting, police identified the shooter as 21-year-old Israel Barriga Vargas.
Friends with Granillo that night were able to identify Barriga Vargas in a photo lineup of six.
Barriga Vargas has been charged with second-degree murder.
It’s unclear if he had previous encounters with Granillo before the shooting.
