Police Department

SIRR Team Investigating an Officer Involved Shooting

Ofc. Teresa Fuller

Thursday, April 28, 2016 at 10:32 p.m.

Update

4/29/2016, 3:17 p.m.

The Spokane Investigative Regional Response (SIRR) Team is investigating a Spokane Police officer involved shooting that occurred last night and this is an update to the original release.

Last night, April 28, 2016, just after 7:00pm, Spokane Police received a call from a suicidal male in the 100 block of south State St. Three officers arrived on scene and attempted to make contact with the subject, who was leaning against a building. The male turned to face officers and was holding a knife to his own chest. Officers attempted to establish verbal communication with the subject. As he started to approach them still armed with the knife, one of the officers was able to deploy his Taser, but it was ineffective. The subject continued towards the officers. Two officers fired their weapons, striking him.

Medical aid was rendered almost immediately as medics had already staged nearby. The subject was pronounced deceased at the scene. The identity of the deceased male will be released by the Medical Examiner’s Office.

No other citizens or officers were injured during this incident.

The SIRR team responded and processed the scene. A large knife was recovered near the subject’s body. Body worn camera footage was retrieved, as was footage from the surrounding buildings. Investigators from the SIRR Team will be reviewing the footage as well as witness statements taken last night.

This continues to be an active and ongoing investigation.

Spokane Police officers were involved in an Officer Involved Shooting (OIS) incident tonight. Two officers fired their service weapons striking the subject. 

No officers were injured during this incident.

The incident is being investigated by the Spokane Investigative Regional Response (SIRR) Team. 

Tonight, April 28, 2016, just after 7:00pm, Spokane Police received a call of suicidal male in the 100 block of south State St. Three officers arrived on scene and attempted to make contact with the subject, who was leaning against a building. The subject turned to face officers and was holding a knife to his own chest. Officers attempted to establish verbal communication with the subject. As the subject started to approach them armed with the knife, one of the officers was able to deploy his Taser, but it was ineffective. The subject continued towards the officers. Two officers fired their weapons, striking the subject. 

Medical aid was rendered almost immediately as medics had already staged nearby. The subject was pronounced deceased at the scene. The identity of the deceased male will be released by the Medical Examiner’s Office.

All three officers were equipped with body worn cameras. Any footage captured by the body cameras, as well as any captured by cameras in the area, will be reviewed by investigators.

The Officer Involved Protocol was enacted. The SIRR Team is on-scene investigating the incident. The SIRR Team is comprised of multiple agencies in eastern Washington, including the Spokane Police Department, the Washington State Patrol and the Spokane County Sheriff's Office.

• The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office is the managing agency in this incident. All future communications on this incident will be sent via the SIRR Team.
• The Spokane Police Department will release the names of the officers involved in this incident.
• Once the SIRR Team investigation is complete the case will be forwarded to the Spokane County Prosecutor’s Office for review.

Shortly after the shooting, several bystanders started to cause a disturbance. Officers arrested two people, one for 3rd Degree Assault on an Officer and one for Pedestrian Interference. Both were booked into Spokane County Jail.

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