Dec. 3—Police shot and killed a man suspected to be shoplifting after a “prolonged” fight in a north Spokane Walmart on Sunday morning.
Two officers were injured during a fight between the suspect and Spokane police officers, with one officer taken to the hospital, according to police Chief Craig Meidl.
First-aid measures were performed on the suspect, but he “succumbed to his injuries” on the scene, according to a press release.
At 9:16 a.m., a commissioned Spokane police officer at the Walmart located at 9200 N. Colton St. became aware of the suspect in the process of “taking things” from the Walmart, Meidl said.
The officer called for backup, and a second officer arrived. They contacted the suspect on the north side of the store, near the entrances, and tried to take him into custody.
“At that point a fight ensued; it was a very prolonged fight that continued into the store,” Meidl said. “During the process of that fight, one officer fired their weapon.”
Officers put out a call that shots had been fired at 10:28 a.m. Meidl said he does not know how many shots were fired.
The fight occurred in what Meidl said was “a very large area,” all within the Walmart.
Officers located what appeared to be a firearm and ammunition belonging to the suspect, and police stun guns that appeared to have been deployed during the fight.
The Walmart was evacuated; Meidl said he was not aware of any injured bystanders.
Meidl said the Walmart will remain closed until responding officers investigate the scene, which was expected to take “several hours.” The Spokane Independent Investigative Response team is investigating the officer shooting.
The officer who fired his weapon was placed on incident review leave, according to a press release. Both officers wore body cameras.
The identity and cause and manner of death of the deceased will be released by the Spokane County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Elena Perry’s work is funded in part by members of the Spokane community via the Community Journalism and Civic Engagement Fund. This story can be republished by other organizations for free under a Creative Commons license. For more information on this, please contact our newspaper’s managing editor.
Amanda Smith is a dedicated U.S. correspondent with a passion for uncovering the stories that shape the nation. With a background in political science, she provides in-depth analysis and insightful commentary on domestic affairs, ensuring readers are well-informed about the latest developments across the United States.
