Police Department

SPD Threat Arrest

Cpl. Ronald Van Tassel

Wednesday, December 19, 2018 at 11:38 a.m.

Spokane Police Officers investigated a person with a weapon call just north of Downtown this afternoon. A male was reportedly chasing people in the area with a knife. Officers were in the area and were able to locate the male and take him into custody.

On December 18, 2018, just before 3pm, Officers received a call of a person with a weapon. A male, later identified as 19 year old Robert Woodhead was reportedly in the area chasing and threatening people with a knife. The incident started as a family was stopped in traffic while driving on Monroe, next to Kendall yards. Woodhead walked into the street, grabbed onto their vehicle and started making inappropriate gestures with the vehicle. A male from inside the vehicle exited and told Woodhead to knock it off. In turn, Woodhead pulled out a knife and threatened to kill the male and the occupants of the vehicle. The driver attempted to maneuver through traffic to escape and Woodhead pursued them on foot.

After a short distance another random person was walking down the sidewalk. Woodhead focused his attention now on that pedestrian. He charged across the street, screaming at the male. Woodhead had the knife out in his hands, still in a threatening manner. That pedestrian fled on foot and ran into a building, closing the door.

Woodhead continued running off down the alley, just as Officers were arriving in the area. Woodhead initially attempted to flee from Officers, making it about a block before being surrounded. Woodhead no longer had the knife in his hands. He was then taken into custody.

After talking to witnesses and victims, Woodhead was eventually booked into jail for 2 counts of Felony Harassment and for an outstanding warrant he had. Woodhead never gave a reason for going after random people with a knife and even after being positively identified by numerous people, he denied being involved at all.  

We do believe that there is an outstanding victim to this incident. We would encourage that person or other witnesses to the incident to call crime check and reference report number 2018-20248417.

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