Police Department

Two Arrested For Armed Robbery after a Vehicle Pursuit

Sgt. Michael Huffman, PIO

Monday, September 13, 2021 at 3:46 p.m.

Update 9/14/21:

Random victim targeted in Saturday’s armed robbery-suspects face additional charges and remain in-custody

The victim in a robbery, which took place in the alley of 1100 W Sprague Ave on 9/11, indicated the suspects were unknown to him and the incident was unprovoked. The victim was in the alley when two men, later identified as Shane X White and Hazma Hussein, drove by and stopped their vehicle. One suspect, later identified as Hussein, ran toward the victim brandishing a pistol and demanding the victim’s possessions. Among the stolen items were the victim’s car keys which Hussein subsequently used attempting to start the victim’s car – but was unsuccessful. The suspects then took off in the car they arrived in. The victim immediately called 911 and SPD officers flooded the area locating the suspect vehicle a short time later. As an SPD sergeant positioned his vehicle behind the suspect’s, the driver, White, quickly put his vehicle in reverse and rapidly accelerated striking the sergeant’s police car. The suspects then fled the area at a high rate of speed, prompting a pursuit.

Police pursuits can be dangerous for suspects, officers, and the public. SPD policy and state law requires officers continually balance the need to apprehend suspects with the risks associated with a police pursuit. In this instance the suspects had committed a violent felony with a firearm against a random victim. When a police officer got in close proximity to the suspects they assaulted the officer and fled, exemplifying their determination to escape. It was determined that the greater risk to community safety would be allowing the suspects to escape and potentially victimizing other community members.

SPD officers pursued the suspects throughout the south hill. Even when officers are engaged in a pursuit they must drive in such a fashion as to not unduly jeopardize the community, and constantly assess traffic and road conditions. As officers attempted to pursue in the safest possible manner they briefly lost sight of the suspects.

Alert citizens noticed the suspect vehicle near 61^st and Mt Vernon on Spokane’s South Hill and called 911. Officers located the vehicle which again attempted to flee. Knowing the suspects presented a clear and continued threat to the community if they escaped, and wanting to avoid another vehicle pursuit, an officer contacted the suspect vehicle and pushed it to a position where it was inoperable. After the vehicle was pinned, Hussein and White were taken into custody without further incident.

The suspect vehicle was seized and a search warrant obtained. A loaded pistol (matching a description the victim had provided) was found in the vehicle during the execution of the search warrant. Additional items linking Hussein and White to the crime were also discovered.

At the writing of this release, White remains in-custody on charges of assault 2^nd degree (striking the police vehicle), robbery 1^st, attempted vehicle theft, and attempting to elude a police vehicle. His local bond for the aforementioned charges is $100,000. White also has an outstanding warrant from a robbery incident in Benton County (Tri-Cities) with a $500,000 bond.

Hussein was charged with robbery 1^st degree and attempted vehicle theft. His bond was set at $40,000.

Additional charges are possible.

Unprovoked or random violent acts are rare in the City of Spokane. When such acts do occur, SPD is committed to quickly apprehending offenders in order to protect the community and allow justice to be sought for victims. This is a prime example of how we can’t do it alone. In this case citizen partners provided the vital information needed to quickly locate and arrest the suspects. SPD is grateful for that partnership; the community is safer because we work together.

Original release 9/11/21:

Two arrested for armed robbery after a vehicle pursuit on the south hill.

On 09/11/2021, at about 245 P.M., an armed robbery was reported in the 1100 block of W. 1^st Avenue in the City of Spokane. The caller advised the male had a handgun and left in a vehicle in an unknown direction.

While on-scene, Officers were able to establish probable cause on the vehicle and the suspects by a detailed description given by the victim for Robbery 1^st Degree. An Officer who was in the area looking for the suspect vehicle found the vehicle in the area of Maple Street and 4^th Avenue. Once the suspects saw the Officer, they intentionally backed into the police car and a pursuit was initiated.

At one point during the pursuit, the vehicle was lost but thanks to some great witnesses, the vehicle was located in the area of Mt. Vernon and 61^st. Due to the severity of the criminal offense, the on-going threat to the public and continued dangerous behavior exhibited by the suspects, Officers intentionally contacted the suspect vehicle, disabling it. Once the vehicle was disabled, both the driver and passenger were taken into custody without further incident.

The driver of the vehicle was identified as 18 year old Shane White.  Shane is being booked into the Spokane County Jail for Robbery 1^st Degree, Assault 2^nd Degree and Attempt to Elude a Police Vehicle. He also will be booked into the Spokane County Jail for an extraditable warrant out of Benton County for Robbery 1^st Degree.

The passenger of the vehicle was identified as 20 year old Hamza Hussein. Hamza is being booked into the Spokane County Jail for Robbery 1^st Degree.

This investigation is still on-going. Fortunately no-one was injured during this incident.

The Spokane Police Department would like to thank the citizens who help locate both Shane and Hamza.  Because of these tips, we were able to get both these subjects into custody without further incident.

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