Police Department

SPD and SCSO Respond to Hostage Situation

Ofc. Daniel Strassenberg, PIO

Friday, February 2, 2024 at 8:42 a.m.

Combined SPD/SCSO Swat responds to hours long hostage situation, suspect arrested and children rescued.

On 1-31-24, multiple resources from the SPD and Spokane County Sheriffs Office responded to the 1200 block of E Sanson after 911 received a call from a female concerned about two small children in the home. The caller advised a male at the location was making self-harm statements and that the children (both under the age of 5) would go with him.  The male suspect continued to make statements threatening harm to the children.

Both City and County SWAT teams arrived along with members of the SPD Hostage Negotiation Team and other SPD resources.  Officers established communication with the male suspect who repeated threats to officers. Over the next several hours, multiple adults and minors were safely removed from the residence while the male suspect refused to come out, keeping the two children in the home with him.

Video communication with the suspect showed him armed with a knife at one point.  A search warrant was obtained for the residence and the male suspect.  After prolonged efforts to communicate with the suspect and de-escalate the situation, he eventually exited the home with the children and was taken into custody without incident.  The two children were unharmed and returned to family.  Teffery TR Karben (23) was arrested and booked into the Spokane County Jail for two counts of felony harassment involving a weapon.

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