Victim in Wednesday shooting identified

Spokane police released new details Wednesday about a fatal shooting that followed an apparent domestic dispute in East Central Spokane.

William R. Poindexter, 45, was shot twice in the back and died at a hospital. Edward Bushnell, who police say intervened in a fight between Poindexter and his girlfriend, was booked into the Spokane County Jail on a second-degree murder charge.

Poindexter and his girlfriend were arguing inside a home on Altamont Street near Fifth Avenue shortly before 10 a.m. Tuesday. The homeowner asked the arguing couple to leave. They went outside, where Poindexter began pulling, dragging and pushing the woman against a fence, police said. Although he was carrying a bat he did not hit her with it, investigators said.

Bushnell, 27, was walking down the street and stepped in the middle of the argument. Bushnell had a .22-caliber pistol in his backpack, which he set on the ground nearby, and also had a knife, police said. He began fighting with Poindexter and was injured in his face.

Poindexter and his girlfriend then began to walk away. Police say Bushnell retrieved his backpack, pulled out the gun and fired three times, hitting Poindexter twice in the back, police said. Poindexter was taken to a hospital and died from his wounds.

“We don’t want to say what he did – by trying to stop the assault – was wrong,” Spokane police Lt. Steve Wohl said. “Because we’re not going to say that.”

The problem, police said, was that Bushnell didn’t stop there. He had a phone in his pocket and should have called the police, Wohl said.

Poindexter has a long and violent criminal history in Spokane and King counties. His most recent conviction, in March, was for domestic violence assault.

Bushnell is expected to appear in court this week. He does not appear to have a felony record in Washington.

The Spokane County Medical Examiner’s Office on Wednesday identified Poindexter as the victim.