15-Year Old Shooting Suspect Pleads Guilty to Assault with Deadly Weapon

Mount Vernon, WA – 15-year old gang member, Roberto Lopez Jr. plead guilty in Skagit County Superior Court on Monday to second-degree assault with a deadly weapon and agreed to be sentenced as an adult  for his role in the December 2016 shooting of rival gang member Kyler Parker (AKA Kyler Vallejo).

Lopez Jr. had been arrested and charged as a juvenile with attempted first degree murder for his role in the shooting of Mount Vernon Police Officer Mike McClaughry and 2nd Degree attempted Murder for his role in the shooting of Kyler Parker (AKA Kyler Vallejo) after Parker had been shot in the neck and Officer McClaughry had been shot in the head in two separate shootings within hours of each other  on North Laventure Road in Mount Vernon.

Skagit County Superior Court Judge Michael Rickert sentenced Lopez Jr to six months in jail for his involvement as an accomplice in the gang related  shooting of Parker.

Some people Skagitbreaking.com talked to voiced frustrations for what they believe is a  lenient sentence for the 15-year old, considering the seriousness of the charges against him.  Under Washington State Law, the second-degree assault with a deadly weapon charge is considered a “first strike” for Lopez Jr.  Any  person convicted of three strikes will serve life in prison in Washington State.

Two additional suspects will face a Judge on Thursday, January 26th in Mount Vernon Superior Court.  44-year old gang member, Ernesto “Neto” Rivas and 16-year old gang member Austin Gonzales each are facing attempted first degree murder charges for their involvement in the shootings. Austin Gonzales is accused  of shooting rival gang member Kyler Paker (AKA Kyler Vallejo) in the neck and Ernesto Rivas is accused of shooting Mount Vernon Police Officer Mike McClaughry in the head while he was investigating the shooting of Kyler Parker (AKA Kyler Vallejo).

Kyler Parker (AKA Kyler Vallejo) was taken to Skagit Valley Hospital for his gunshot wound to the neck  and has since been released.

Fellow Mount Vernon Police Officers pulled Officer Mike McClaughry to safety under a hail of gunfire from the home the three suspects were inside of  before loading Officer McClaughry  into a police vehicle and transporting him to meet a waiting Skagit County ambulance. Officer McClaughry was then  transported by Skagit County Medics and Mount Vernon Firefighters to Skagit Valley Hospital before being flown by Helicopter to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle after he was shot.    Officer McClaughry arrived at Harborview in critical condition but has been continuing to make progress. Doctors plan to move him from the Intensive Care Unit to a Physical Therapy room where he will continue to work on being able to walk and function again.  April McClaughry, Officer Mike Daughter and family spokesperson posted on the Officer Mike McClaughry Facebook Page that he may be permanently blind from the gunshot injuries he received.

Lopez Jr., Rivas and Gonzales were arrested after a several hour stand-off with Police Officers outside a home on North Laventure Road.  Officer came under gunfire multiple times during the stand-off and Rivas called 9-1-1 and taunted Officers and negotiators on the phone.  Lopez Jr and Gonzales can be heard in the background laughing and “having a good time,” during the stand-off.

A Go Fund Me account has been started for Officer Mike McClaughry. If you are interested in donating to his recovery efforts, please do so by clicking the link: www.GoFundMe.com/MountVernonPoliceOfficer