Ernesto Lee Rivas, who CRITICALLY INJURED Mount Vernon police Officer Mike “Mick” McClaughry by shooting him in the head... had avoided life sentence in 1998 with a very generous plea deal

Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart, Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx & the Chicago 19th Ward Illinois State Senator Bill Cunningham - ALL have been pushing for releasing offenders WITH FREE BONDS and for the EARLY RELEASE OF CRIMINALS.... Even though this cop shooting didn't happen in Cook County, it clearly shows what does happen when career criminals with MULTIPLE FELONY CONVICTIONS are continually released EARLY through a revolving door of freedom....

After Ernesto Lee Rivas pleaded guilty in 1998 in a deal with Yakima County prosecutors that saved him from a life sentence, he turned to a police detective and said with a smile, “Oh, by the way, does that mean I got four balls and a walk?”

Rivas was sentenced to 15 years in prison and avoided a three-strikes conviction, which would have sent him to prison for the rest of his life. A Yakima police detective protested the deal, calling Rivas a “predator.”

Rivas is suspected of shooting a Mount Vernon police officer in the head Thursday night after the officer responded to reports of a shooting near East Fir Street and North Laventure Road. The shooting of the officer touched off an hours long standoff that ended Friday morning.

The officer, 61, remained in critical condition at Seattle’s Harborview Medical Center. He was identified as Mike “Mick” McClaughry, a father of three grown children and a grandfather.

“He’s a resilient individual, and I have no doubt that he will pull through this just fine,” Mount Vernon Police Department Lt. Chris Cammock said during a briefing televised on KOMO News Friday afternoon. Also at the briefing, Washington State Patrol Sgt. Keith Leary called the shooting’s aftermath a “trying time in Mount Vernon.”

The 44-year-old Rivas — and two teenagers — are being held on suspicion of attempted first-degree murder, Skagit County prosecutors said.

Rivas was identified as the suspected gunman by Skagit County Prosecutor Rich Weyrich and was ordered held in lieu of $1 million bail during a Friday court hearing.

The two juveniles, ages 15 and 16, are being held in lieu of $500,000 each, Deputy Prosecutor Rosemary Kaholokula said.