Man Jailed After Allegedly Brandishing Gun Inside Ephrata Walmart

A Grant County man is free on bail after being arrested for allegedly brandishing a firearm inside a crowded department store in Ephrata late Sunday morning.

Ephrata Police Department Chief Erik Koch says officers responded to the Walmart store in the 1300 block of Nat Washington Way at around 11:50 a.m. after receiving reports about a man with a gun on the premises.

Koch says when officers arrived at the scene, they learned from witnesses that the suspect, 21-year-old Rafael Diaz-Chavez, had allegedly accosted a 17-year-old boy inside the store prior to brandishing a handgun in his direction.

A police incident report detailed the aisle inside the store where Diaz-Chavez displayed the weapon was packed with shoppers at the time, including a woman who had an infant child with her.

Investigators say they reviewed store surveillance footage and confirmed that Diaz-Chavez did, in fact, brandish the gun for roughly half-a-minute, during which time he also cocked the weapon.

By the time officers arrived at the store to investigate, Diaz-Chavez had already fled the location but his vehicle was soon located outside an apartment complex in Ephrata the handgun Diaz-Chavez had allegedly displayed at the store was seized as evidence.

At the time the weapon was located by police, it was reportedly loaded with a full magazine of hollow-point bullets.

Diaz-Chavez was subsequently contacted by police and arrested without incident at his parents' residence in Ephrata.

He was transported to the Grant County Jail where he was booked for suspicion of unlawful displaying of a firearm; making threats to kill (harassment); second-degree burglary; and an outstanding arrest warrant.

Police say Diaz-Chavez also lacked the permit required to lawfully possess and carry the concealed weapon he'd allegedly displayed inside the store.

It was also learned that Diaz-Chavez had been previously trespassed from all Walmart locations last June after allegedly directing threats at one of the retail chain's employees in Moses Lake.

Following his arrest, Diaz-Chavez posted an undisclosed bond and was released from jail the following day (Monday, March 9).