Wanted Suspect in Vehicle Shot after Almost Pinning Deputy Against a Wall
SIIR Team Investigating Deputy-Involved Shooting
The Spokane Independent Investigative Response Team (SIIR) is investigating a Deputy-Involved shooting involving a wanted adult male suspect who accelerated a vehicle toward a Deputy, almost pinning him between the truck and a wall. The Deputy fired his weapon, striking the suspect. As soon as it was safe to do so, Deputies provided immediate medical attention to the suspect, who was later transported to the hospital for additional care.
No uninvolved citizens or Deputies were injured during this incident. The Spokane Independent Investigative Response (SIIR) Team is investigating.
In compliance with WAC 139-12, Spokane County Sheriff’s Office/Spokane Valley Police Department personnel will not be involved in this investigation.
Initial information indicates that on August 21, 2022, at approximately 6:30 am., two Spokane County Sheriff’s Deputies acted upon information a wanted suspect was believed to be at a storage unit located in the 1700 block of E. Lyons Avenue. The suspect had one confirmed felony and two misdemeanor warrants.
At approximately 7:00 am., a plan was implemented where one Deputy in a fully marked patrol car pulled around and contacted the front of the suspect’s truck and activated his emergency lights in an attempt to prevent the suspect from fleeing in the vehicle.
The second Deputy approached the vehicle from the rear as announcements/commands were given. The suspect failed to follow the commands and chose to jump out of the truck's bed and get into the driver’s seat. He revved the engine, then accelerated in reverse toward the Deputy approaching from the rear, almost pinning him between the suspect’s vehicle and the storage building wall, and the Deputy fired his weapon.
The suspect went out of sight in the truck's cab, and additional commands were given but ignored. The suspect then reemerged and put the vehicle into gear. Additional shots were fired, and the truck moved forward, slamming into the storage building.
As soon as it was safe to do so, Deputies immediately began life-saving measures until additional medical personnel arrived and took over. The suspect was transported to the hospital for further treatment.
The Officer-Involved Protocol was enacted. The SIIR Team is on-scene investigating the incident and processing the scene. The SIIR Team is comprised of multiple agencies in eastern Washington, including the Spokane Police Department, the Washington State Patrol, Liberty Lake Police Department, Airway Heights Police Department, the Spokane County Sheriff's Office, and the Spokane Valley Police Department.
- The Spokane Police Department is the case managing agency in this incident. All future communications regarding this incident will be sent via the SIIR Team.
- The Spokane County Sheriff's Office will release the name of the Deputy involved in this incident at a later time.
In compliance with WAC 139-12, Spokane County Sheriff’s Office/Spokane Valley Police Department personnel will not be involved in this investigation.
Once the SIIR Team investigation is complete, the case will be forwarded to the Spokane County Prosecutor’s Office for review.
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