An Auburn teenager has been charged with multiple felonies after allegedly opening fire near the crowded Isaac Evans Park in 2024, sending two people to the hospital and endangering dozens more, including children and bystanders.
Guillermo Sanchez-Romero, 18, faces four felony charges: two counts of first-degree assault, drive-by shooting, and unlawful possession of a firearm in the second degree. Prosecutors allege he fired nearly 30 rounds during a chaotic shootout at the park on May 19, 2024, while armed with a .223-caliber firearm.
The shooting, described in court documents as occurring during a birthday party at the popular riverside park, triggered panic as bullets struck multiple vehicles and sent baseball players and parkgoers scrambling for cover.
According to prosecutors, Sanchez-Romero exited a silver Cadillac ATS and opened fire at a Ford Escape carrying five people, including a pregnant woman and several teens. One victim was struck in the thigh while seated in the Ford. A bystander was hit in the calf while sitting in a separate parked car with her child nearby.
Police later recovered over 90 shell casings from the scene and captured surveillance video showing the aftermath of the gunfire. Footage from a nearby baseball field showed players and umpires running and taking cover as the shots rang out:
A yearlong investigation led to Sanchez-Romero’s arrest on July 22, 2025, in Everett. Prosecutors say he had been living out of state for a time and expressed concerns about flight risk and witness intimidation.
“The defendant fired approximately 28 to 30 times,” Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Jennifer Phillips wrote in a bail request. “The State remains very concerned about the safety of the community, the administration of justice and the flight risk the defendant poses.”
A judge set bail at $1 million. Sanchez-Romero is also facing unrelated charges of third-degree rape in juvenile court and has prior felony convictions that prohibit him from possessing a firearm.
Investigators tied Sanchez-Romero to the crime through witness statements, surveillance footage, and physical evidence, including a photo booth strip and clothing found in the suspect vehicle and a nearby wooded area where suspects fled. A key witness identified Sanchez-Romero in a photo lineup, recalling the shooter’s distinct stare during the incident.
The case also implicates others allegedly involved, including a woman who allowed her car to be used in the drive-by and later attempted to conceal her involvement.
An arraignment date has not yet been scheduled.
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