Police Department

Downtown Arrest Leads To Recovery of a Shotgun

Cpl. Nick Briggs, PIO

Thursday, February 17, 2022 at 1:16 p.m.

On 02-16-22 around 3:45PM, 911 received a call of a disturbance near Riverside and Howard in Downtown Spokane. The caller reported a group of males arguing. The situation became more dire when one male retrieved a shotgun from the trunk of a vehicle and brandished it as the argument escalated. The hostility continued; at one point the suspect placed the firearm back in the vehicle only to retrieve it again a few moments later.

SPD Downtown Neighborhood Resource Officers (NROs) and patrol officers responded, arriving in less than three minutes from the time the 911 call was initiated. The suspect had placed the firearm back into the vehicle by the time officers arrived.

The suspect who reportedly had the gun was identified as Christopher Frantz. Frantz has at least six felony convictions which include unlawful possession of a firearm, criminal mischief with a deadly weapon, and multiple counts of assault. Due to his criminal history Frantz cannot lawfully possess a firearm.

SPD officers sought and were granted a search warrant for the involved vehicle, where officers recovered a 20-gauge shotgun.

Frantz was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm (due to his felony convictions prohibiting his possession of any firearm), and possession of an unlawful firearm (the shotgun was modified to have a barrel shorter than 16”, which is prohibited).

At the writing of this release Frantz remains in Spokane County Jail.

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