Washington statute
RCW 9A.36.045 — Drive-by shooting
Current through 2026 Regular Session
Part of Chapter 9A.36: Assault—Physical Harm, Revised Code of Washington.
Criminal charges under this statute
Full text of RCW 9A.36.045
Statutory text current through the 2026 Regular Session. This publication reproduces the official text of the Revised Code of Washington from the Code Reviser's published files; it is not the official statutes of the State of Washington.
(1) A person is guilty of drive-by shooting when he or she recklessly discharges a firearm as defined in RCW 9.41.010 in a manner which creates a substantial risk of death or serious physical injury to another person and the discharge is either from a motor vehicle or from the immediate area of a motor vehicle that was used to transport the shooter or the firearm, or both, to the scene of the discharge.
(2) A person who unlawfully discharges a firearm from a moving motor vehicle may be inferred to have engaged in reckless conduct, unless the discharge is shown by evidence satisfactory to the trier of fact to have been made without such recklessness.
(3) Drive-by shooting is a class B felony.
Official sources
Legal terms used in this section
Questions this section answers
Is drive-by shooting a felony or a misdemeanor in Washington?
Drive-by shooting is a Class B Felony in Washington under RCW 9A.36.045.
Which Washington statute covers drive-by shooting?
Drive-by shooting is governed by RCW 9A.36.045 (Drive-by shooting).
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.