An Amber Alert has been issued for an ex-police officer who’s suspected in two West Richland killings on Monday.
Washington State Patrol issued the alert for former Yakima officer Elias Huizar, 39, who is believed to have his 1-year-old son, Roman Huizar, with him. Investigators believe he might be fleeing to Mexico, according to the 9:55 p.m. alert.
The alert identifies his two victims as his ex-wife and girlfriend.
West Richland police identified Huizar as the suspect in a shooting outside William Wiley Elementary School about 3:20 p.m. Monday as students were being released for the day. His ex-wife was a paraeducator at the school.
While officers served a search warrant at Huizar’s West Richland home, another person was found dead, according to an 8 p.m. news release.
Police are searching for a silver 2009 Toyota Corolla, with license plate CBZ4745.
Huizar is described as 5-foot-6, 170 pounds. Anyone who sees the car or knows where he might be is asked to call 911.
Huizar in February was also arrested for allegedly raping a friend of his teenage girlfriend. The girlfriend was the mother of the 1-year-old, according to court documents.
Investigators believe Huizar is armed and likely to commit more crimes, according to an earlier news release.
Court documents show that his ex-wife, Amber Rodriguez, filed Friday for a change in custody for their two sons, ages 5 and 9. It is unclear where those children are.
Rodriguez had filed for a protection order for herself and their children in early February after learning of Huizar’s arrest on the rape charge, writing that she believed he would harm them, according to court documents.
She said Huizar had harassed her since their 2020 divorce and she believed he was mentally and emotionally unstable, according to her statements in the request for the order.
Huizar is a former Yakima police officer and school resource officer. He worked for the Yakima Police Department between 2014 and 2022.
In the rape case, ivestigators said Huizar sexually assaulted the unconscious house guest after a night of drinking, according to court documents.
Huizar was arrested Feb. 3, posted $200,000 bail and was released from the Benton County jail.
He was ordered to surrender his passport, not to drink alcohol and not to contact his girlfriend or the other teen.
On Monday, the school went into lockdown as parents were arriving to pick up their kids and as students were getting onto buses.
Parents were forced to abandon their cars in the parking lot and along the street as police officers converged on the school and began searching for Huizar.
School staff rushed kids back into the school to keep them safe.
Classes at Wiley Elementary are canceled Tuesday but all other Richland School District schools were scheduled to be open.