DEER PARK, Wash. — The Spokane Independent Investigative Response Team (SIIR) has completed its investigation into a shooting incident involving three deputies and the death of a suspect.
According to a press release from SIIR, detectives have forwarded their findings to the Spokane County Prosecutor’s Office. The office will decide whether the deputies’ actions were legally justified.
Stevens County Sheriff’s detectives were serving an arrest warrant for a suspect charged with first-degree rape of a child, who had a $100,000 felony bond.
The suspect was found at a home in the 30300 block of North Monroe Road, southwest of Deer Park. When detectives tried to contact him, he was uncooperative, ran back inside the house, and said that “law enforcement would have to shoot him.” Stevens County detectives then requested assistance from the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office.
Spokane deputies said they arrived and tried to persuade two additional uncooperative occupants inside the home to leave. They eventually exited for their safety. Deputies and Stevens County Crisis Negotiators said they attempted to convince the suspect to surrender, but he refused to follow commands or show his hands.
After several unsuccessful attempts, including the use of chemical irritants, deputies said that a SWAT Team arrived at the home at around 4 p.m. At about 6 p.m., SWAT breached the front door but did not locate the suspect. They then breached the back door and, after removing an obstructed window, discovered that shots had been fired and the suspect was hit.
Efforts to save the suspect’s life were made as he was moved to an awaiting air ambulance, but he died from his injuries before transport. The SIIR Team is investigating the incident.
No deputies or uninvolved citizens were injured. .
