Police Department

Car Prowler Pulls a Knife

Sgt. Terry Preuninger, PIO

Thursday, July 16, 2020 at 3:25 p.m.

On July 8^th, 2020 around 6:00AM SPD officers responded to a call off a person with a weapon near the 2400 block of W. Courtland Ave.  The male victim stated that he called 911 because a male had pulled a knife on him.

The male victim told officers that he was awoken that morning by his neighbor (the female victim) yelling for someone to “call 911! Show me what’s in your bag!”  He came outside and observed a male, later identified as Dakota Dallman (23), standing in his yard.  Dallman was wearing a black mask and holding a green bag.

Leading up to the 911 call, a female victim had gone outside to water her lawn when she saw someone wearing a mask and holding a green bag and rummaging through her car.  She confronted the suspect and began yelling at him to show her what was in his bag.

The male victim confronted Dallman about what was in his bag.  He walked up to Dallman and tried to look in the bag as Dallman was making random statements like: “I am the creator of chaos, this is my world.”  Dallman then pulled a knife out of his pocket and pointed it at the male victim and said, “You going to step to me?”  The male victim stepped back and Dallman stepped toward him and poked him in the middle of the chest with the knife, creating a small puncture.

Dallman then walked away and was detained by SPD just east of the incident location.  He was transported and booked into jail for Assault 1^st Degree and Vehicle Prowling 2^nd degree.

While this incident did not end in significant injury to either victim, it could have easily ended in tragedy. The Spokane Police Department would like to remind the community that while it may be lawful to intervene when you see criminal activity, (each situation is different) things are not always as they appear.   Situations can go from benign to deadly in seconds or less.  Community members are held to a standard of reasonableness, and must be able to justify their actions under the law.  We encourage people in the community to take time when possible, to evaluate the potential risk of their actions against any success they may have by taking action.  

We always suggest being a good witness and reporting criminal and suspicious behavior to law enforcement. 

# 2020-20115905

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