In brief: Man, 19, drowns in Spokane River

A 19-year-old man drowned Friday in the Spokane River, the second drowning in the river in a little more than a week.

The man, whose identity has not been released, was pulled from the bottom of the river at the Boulder Beach swim area early Friday afternoon by members of the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office dive team.

“He was apparently swimming on the north side, went under and didn’t come back up,” said Spokane County Fire District 9 Assistant Chief Jim Walkowski. “We don’t know why he didn’t resurface.”

The man’s family realized that he was missing and called 911. Water rescue teams could not find him from the surface so divers were called in. He was located near the bottom in about 20 feet of water.

Sheriff’s officials said Friday evening that the man died.

Last week Donovan Groom, 16, drowned just downstream from Boulder Beach after his foot got stuck between two rocks under the water.

Nina Culver

Boy found beaten has brain surgery

A 15-year-old Spokane Valley boy is recovering from brain surgery after a brutal beating by several acquaintances Monday evening, his mother said.

A passer-by found the boy unconscious and called 911 just before 11:30 p.m. near the 600 block of North Farr Road, according to the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office. He was taken to Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center.

“The cops called and told me they found my son half dead,” said the boy’s mother, Tinese Burnett. “He laid outside for hours.”

Burnett said her son, whom she asked not be named, suffered a fractured skull after being struck in the forehead with a metal baseball bat. He also has several stitches on his left shoulder and right leg.

Burnett said she and her son know several of the suspects. Investigators are searching for a motive.

Chad Sokol

Heat wave may hit Hoopfest weekend

Temperatures at Hoopfest could hit 100 degrees, the National Weather Service reported.

Spokane’s popular 3-on-3 basketball tournament is next weekend, coinciding with an expected heat wave.

Highs could go from the 70s and 80s this weekend to the 90s and 100s by Friday through Monday.

Mike Prager