Spokane: SPD Officer Involved Shooting
Washingtoner/10247748

~ Spokane, WA- In the early hours of Monday morning, Spokane Police Officers were involved in an officer-involved shooting that resulted in the death of a male suspect. According to Lt. Terry Preuninger, Public Information Officer for the Spokane Police Department, the incident occurred around 12:40 AM and involved multiple officers.

Preliminary information suggests that the incident began at approximately 12:15 AM when the SPD received several calls reporting a woman had been shot at a residence in the 1100 block of E. Wellesley. One of the callers reported hearing a woman scream and possible gunfire in the background.

Upon arrival, officers made contact with a male who stated he was unable to leave the house due to another male inside with a gun. The male also informed officers that a woman had been shot inside the home. With this information, officers were able to safely evacuate the unarmed male from the residence.

It was determined that the shooter was still inside with the female victim who was believed to be in need of immediate medical attention for multiple gunshot wounds. In an effort to rescue her, SPD officers entered the home and encountered an armed male. A shootout ensued between officers and the suspect, resulting in his incapacitation.

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The female victim was successfully located and transported to a nearby hospital for treatment of her injuries. Despite life-saving efforts by both SPD officers and medical personnel on scene, the suspect was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to Lt. Preuninger, it is believed that three SPD officers discharged their weapons during this incident. As per standard protocol, these officers have been placed on administrative leave while an investigation is conducted by an independent team.

The Spokane Independent Investigative Response (SIIR) team will lead this investigation which includes members from various agencies such as Washington State Patrol, Spokane Valley Police Department, and Spokane County Sheriff's Office. The SIIR team will be responsible for determining what transpired during the incident and if any further action is necessary.

As an involved agency, the Spokane Police Department will not be directly involved in the investigation, in compliance with WAC 139-12. The Washington State Patrol will serve as the case managing agency and all future updates will be provided by the SIIR team.

The names of the officers involved in the shooting will be released at a later time by the Spokane Police Department. Once the SIIR team completes their investigation, the case will be forwarded to the Spokane County Prosecutor's Office for review.

The identity of the deceased suspect will be released by the Spokane County Medical Examiner's Office. Lt. Preuninger assures that more information will be released as it becomes available.

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