RICHLAND, Wash. – A deadly shooting occurred in the alleyway of the Uptown Shopping Center early Saturday morning around 4:15 a.m.. Police reported that 36-year-old Michael Perkins was shot following a confrontation with another man.
Officers attempted to save Perkins’ life at the scene, but he did not survive.
Tina and Shawn Pack, owners of Tina’s Tasty Treats and members of the Uptown Improvement Board, expressed their continued support for the area. “It’s been a really good experience for us. And yeah, this is where we’ve always wanted to land, so we’re really happy here. There’s plenty of parking all of the time,” said Tina.
The Packs highlighted the unique relationship between the shopping center and the City of Richland. The city owns the parking lot, while the businesses own the shopping center. They feel this partnership benefits the area. “They got our street lights replaced back there with bright white lights. So, you know, we can see at night some of the businesses keeping put up security spotlights. And the more lights, the better,” added Shawn.
The shopping center is equipped with outdoor security cameras connected to a video sharing service, allowing the Richland Police Department to access footage 24/7. This system has been useful in past investigations.
The Uptown Shopping Center remains active nearly 24 hours a day, with bars open at night and popular businesses during the day. Despite the recent incident, the Packs believe the police are committed to maintaining safety. “We don’t feel at all like this place is degenerating. We understand that there are there’s bars here. There’s there’s a nightlife activity and there is some activity after the bar is closed going on in the back the back alleys. The police do. I think they do as much as they can do. They can’t be there 24 seven. But they do patrol regularly,” Shawn stated.
Police are still searching for the person responsible for shooting Perkins. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Richland Police Department at 509-942-7360.
Other businesses in the area have told NonStop Local that the shooting has not impacted their businesses.
