A Federal Way man was recently charged for his involvement in a drive-by shooting that killed 19-year-old Erik Raul Reynaga on Jan. 22.
Kenneth Sak-See, 19, went to Reynaga’s home on Jan. 26 and told his mother he was involved in her son’s shooting.
Post-Miranda, he then told Federal Way police officers in a taped statement that Reynaga called him that night, asking if he would come with him to Crystal Pointe Apartments, as there was going to be a confrontation. As the two drove to the complex, Reynaga allegedly received a text message from a male who told him there were people at his mother’s residence in the complex and he “needed them gone,” according to charging documents.
“He asked him to lay down some rounds to scare the other faction away,” the documents continue.
As they approached the complex, located at 35434 25th Ave. SW, Sak-See told police he fired rounds from a 9MM semi-automatic handgun into the air from the passenger’s seat.
Reynaga, an Auburn resident, was driving.
They then drove toward Southwest 356th Street and were heading toward northeast Tacoma when they did a U-turn and returned to the apartment complex. Court documents state they drove toward building 9, where Reynaga would later die, and parked.
“Sak-See admitted he again put his arm out the passenger-side window and shot more 9MM rounds into the air,” court documents state. “After the shooting, he fled on foot.”
Sak-See told the detective he told his father what happened, who then went to the apartments and retrieved the gun Sak-See had hidden. Sak-See consented to a search for the gun and clothing he was wearing that night.
Police went to the residence and found the gun hidden in a closet in his father’s bedroom.
Officers found Reynaga next to the car near building 9 on the night of Jan. 22 and remained at the scene of the crime until 10 a.m. the next day, interviewing witnesses and residents in the complex. No one else was injured, however, there were several unoccupied parked cars hit by bullets.
Cathy Schrock, a spokeswoman with the Federal Way Police Department, said there’s still an active investigation into who killed Reynaga.
“It is clear there are more people involved, present and likely to have fired weapons based upon the previous, earlier reports,” Schrock said, adding that was the reason Sak-See wasn’t charged with murder at this time. “There’s more to this story as far as who is involved and who might be responsible for the death of Erik.”
Sak-See is currently being held on a $75,000 bail at the Regional Justice Center in Kent.
The public is encouraged to contact Federal Way police with any information related to this case at 253-835-2121. Anonymous tips can be submitted at safecityfw.com.
