A 19-year-old arrested last Wednesday in the shooting death of his father at a home in Outlook was released Monday after prosecutors told a judge Benjamin Rodriguez fired in self-defense. He was facing a charge of first-degree murder.

Benjamin Rodriguez told Yakima County sheriff's deputies that he and his father, 43-year-old Jose Rodriguez, were staying with his grandparents when his father tried to break into a safe containing prescription drugs. When he couldn't get into the safe, Benjamin Rodriguez said, his father became enraged, shooting his gun and telling his son to call police so he could get into a shootout.
Instead of calling police, Benjamin Rodriguez grabbed a .22-caliber rifle and fired a shot after his father pointed a gun at him. And now prosecutors say the son acted in self-defense and will face no charges.

 

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