Police Department

SPD Responds to Man Waving a Gun Around

Cpl. Ronald Van Tassel

Friday, May 10, 2019 at 9:11 a.m.

Spokane Police Officers responded to the area of Dalke and Nevada on Thursday evening for a male waiving a gun around. Neighbors called in stating a male was on his front porch waiving a gun and yelling that he was going to shoot somebody. Officers arrived and after a tense standoff and less lethal being used, the male was detained.

On May 9, 2019 Officers responded to a residence in north Spokane for a male with a gun. The complainant stated that their neighbor, later identified as 29 year old Ty Schmeginske was on his own front porch. Schmeginske had a handgun in his hand, was waiving it around and was yelling he was going to shoot somebody. Schmeginske then sat down on the front porch.

Officers arrived onscene, developed a tactical plan and started to converge on the residence. From a distance Officers observed Schmeginske on the front porch. They identified themselves as Police and Schmeginske looked over at them. Schmeginske then grabbed the gun off the porch, stood up and took cover behind a tree in the yard. Schmeginske then raised the gun up and pointed it at Officers. A short time later Schmeginske placed the gun to his own head. Schmeginske then threw the gun on the ground and started to walk away. He walked out to the fence with his hands up. He then put his hands back down and walked back to the gun, standing over it. Schmeginske did this a few times, walking away from the gun and then back to it in the yard.

Schmeginske then walked out to the sidewalk. Officers onscene were able to get enough resources in place with less lethal options. Schmeginske was far enough away from his firearm that deploying less lethal was the safest way to detain Schmeginske. The use of less lethal and a K-9 were all used. Schmeginske was quickly taken into custody.

Officers did recover a loaded firearm from the front yard. Alcohol was believed to be a contributing factor in Schmeginske’s actions. He was treated at the hospital for minor injuries and later booked into jail for 4 counts of 2^nd degree assault for pointing the firearm at Officers.

It is unknown at this time who Schmeginske was threatening with the gun. Police ask that if you observed Schmeginske threatening somebody or you are that person, to call into Crime Check at 456.2233.

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