SIRR Team Investigating Officer Involved Shooting Incident
Involving a Stevens County Deputy in Colville, WA
This incident began yesterday, September 27, 2017 at approximately 12:30 a.m., when Stevens County Deputies, with the assistance of Colville Police Officers, attempted to locate and arrest 47 year-old Richard Lee Hawley in the 500 block of E. Birch Avenue in Colville, WA. for an active felony warrant (Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Deliver-Heroin).
A Stevens County Deputy observed Hawley, who fled a short distance in a vehicle before jumping out and fleeing on foot. As Hawley ran, he fired several shots from a handgun at the deputy, striking his patrol vehicle. The deputy, who was not hit, returned fire as Hawley ran away.
An intensive search for Hawley was initiated which included K9 Units, Air 1, and members of the Colville Police Department, Chewelah Police Department, Kettle Falls Police Department, Washington State Patrol, U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Marshals Office, Spokane Police Department, Spokane Valley Police Department and Spokane County Sheriff’s Office.
The Officer Involved Protocol was enacted and the SIRR Team responded to continue the investigation with the assistance of the Spokane County Forensic Unit.
At approximately 7:00 p.m., law enforcement observed Hawley near a vehicle and quickly took him into custody without incident. Hawley, who was uninjured, was booked into the Stevens County Jail for Attempted Murder 1st Degree and the felony drug warrant.
Later that evening, SIRR Team Investigators located the handgun believed to have been used during this incident.
The SIRR Team is comprised of multiple agencies in Eastern Washington, including the Spokane County Sheriff's Office, Washington State Patrol, Spokane Police Department, and Airway Heights Police Department.
• The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office is the managing agency in this incident and all future release of information regarding this incident will be sent via the SIRR Team.
• The Stevens County Sheriff’s Office will release the name of the deputy involved in this incident when appropriate.
• Once the SIRR Team investigation is complete, the case will be forwarded to the Stevens County Prosecutor’s Office for review.