Police Department

Assault on Centennial Trail

Cpl. Ronald Van Tassel

Friday, March 9, 2018 at 9:59 a.m.

The Spokane Police Department is investigating an assault that took place on the Centennial Trail in downtown Spokane. A female was walking the trail when a male grabbed her and held her at knife point. After a brief struggle the female was able to free herself and flee the area.

On March 5^th, just after noon, Officers responded to the area of the Monroe Street Bridge. A female reported that she was walking the Centennial Trail and a male came up from behind and grabbed her. The male attempted to drag her off the trail and had a large knife with him. After some struggle and screaming, the male let her go and she was able to flee the area. Officers searched the area and did not locate the suspect.

The description of the suspect is fairly limited. He is a white or possibly native male with black hair. He is shorter and stocky and had a large knife. There was no clothing description provided.

This call is a reminder for people using the trail to have vigilance. Most people walking or running the trail like to listen to music while they are out. This makes it difficult to hear if somebody is coming up from behind you. Consider turning the music down to a level that you can still hear your surroundings, or make a conscious effort to look behind you often. When possible, run or walk in pairs. Pepper spray is also a good defense against an attacker and they make canisters specifically for joggers.

With Spring time around the corner, we are going to see more activity on the local trails. Please call crime check if something seems suspicious or 911 if an incident is actively happening.

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