Police Department

SVPD Shooting Update

Jennifer DeRuwe, jderuwe@spokanepolice.org

Tuesday, July 15, 2014 at 3:48 p.m.

Spokane Regional Critical Incident Response Team investigators have completed all of the interviews of witnesses involved in Sunday night's deadly encounter between law enforcement and Quentin Dodd.

The investigative team has released the names of the Spokane Valley Police Officers involved in the shooting. Officer Rustin Olson fired his duty weapon, striking Dodd, after Dodd attacked him with an obsidian knife. Officer Olson has been employed with the Spokane County Sheriff's Office since March 2006, with previous employment beginning in August of 1998 with the Weber State University Police (Utah), then with Heber, UT City Police, and Ogden UT City Police. Officer Todd Miller witnessed the incident and initially responded to the 9-1-1 call at 507 N. Sommer. Ofc. Miller has been employed with the Spokane County Sheriff's Office since April 2007, with previous employment with the Moscow Police Department (Idaho) from December, 1999 until March, 2007.

Officer Olson's interview (completed yesterday afternoon)combined with statements from others have clarified the events that occurred on the evening of Oct. 24.

At 7:30 p.m., Officers Olson and Miller were dispatched to a report of domestic violence at 507 N. Sommer. The residence is a duplex serving as a ministry for recovering alcoholics and drug addicts. Three men lived together in one half of the duplex, including Dodd.

Dodd's roommates and the duplex's owner report that police were called after Dodd made threats against them and pulled out an obsidian knife at the duplex. Dodd left the home before officers arrived. Officers caught up with Dodd a few blocks away on Valleyway, near Progress.

Miller initially contacted Dodd, who was dressed in all black, and carrying the obsidian knife. Dodd yelled at Ofc. Miller: "Shoot me, shoot me, fxxxing shoot me.' Dodd ignored Ofc. Miller's commands to drop the knife and continued walking west bound. Ofc. Miller followed Dodd in his car, concerned about Dodd's potential threat to the neighborhood and his unwillingness to obey commands. He used his PA system to continue to ask Dodd to drop his weapon.

Eventually, both officers leave their vehicles. Dodd turned his attention toward Ofc. Olson; they were about 45-60 feet apart. Dodd was holding the knife over his head and made a stabbing motion toward him with the knife. Ofc. Olson yelled at Dodd to drop the weapon, and Dodd repeated, "Shoot me, shoot me, shoot me' and told Olson that he was going to stab him.

Dodd quickly closed the distance between himself and Ofc. Olson, running at the officer and threatening to kill him. Dodd paused when he was about 10 feet away and then aggressively charged at Ofc. Olson, who was attempting to retreat.

When Dodd was within 6 to 8 feet of Ofc. Olson, Ofc. Olson fired his duty weapon three times, striking Dodd. Dodd fell to the ground, and while Ofc. Miller provided cover, Ofc. Olson was able to handcuff Dodd. Medics were called and transported Dodd to Valley General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Investigators are awaiting toxicology results to determine whether drugs or alcohol were in Dodd's system. Witnesses told investigators that Dodd admitted he had relapsed in recent days, but were uncertain whether he had used that day.

This was the second time in two days that officers were called to the duplex on Sommer. On Saturday, officers responded to the home when one of the roommates complained about Dodd's music being too loud. Officers convinced Dodd to turn down the music and then they left.

In instances such as this, with an armed suspect in a residential neighborhood, the officers' primary responsibility is to gain control of the suspect to keep residents safe.

MEDIA – Most have you have received a copy of the Critical Incident Protocol – it is also listed on our website www.spokanepolice.org under Hot Topics.

You will find listed in that Protocol a section titled Interviewing Law Enforcement Employees:

a. Generally speaking, it is the intent of Investigative Response Team to obtain details of any officer involved incident as soon as possible after the event by interviewing and obtaining reports/statements from involved officers and witness officers. When interviewing Actors [involved officer], the Investigative Team will comply with any restrictions contained in bargaining unit agreements applicable to the Actor. For clarification, Spokane County Sheriff's bargaining unit does not impose a time frame as to when officers may be asked for such statement.

Additionally, the Protocol states Involved officers' names will not be released to the public until at least seventy-two (72) hours after the incident. Any release of evidence to the media will only be done with the approval of the lead investigative supervisor and detective.

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