Boys report gunshots; police search for man

A man in a black cowboy hat and boots allegedly fired a gun at three boys Saturday near Coeur d’Alene’s Woodland Middle School.

The man is described as white, in his late 20s or early 30s with a husky build, mustache and goatee. He was wearing a white shirt and blue jeans and was pulling a black and white backpack on wheels.

The boys were sitting on some rocks in a wooded area near the school about 5 p.m. when the man walked by. One of the boys joked to the man, “Save a horse and ride a cowboy,” according to a Coeur d’Alene Police Department report.

The man, who had a pack of cigarettes in his hand, stopped and stared at the boys. He bent down and allegedly removed something silver-colored from his backpack. Initially, the boys thought it was a cigarette lighter. The man allegedly pointed the object at the boys, who decided to leave, the report said.

The boys told police they then heard what sounded like two gunshots. They looked back and saw that the man still was holding the silver item and that it was smoking. Two boys told police they heard something fly by their heads.

The boys rode their bikes to a neighbor’s house. The neighbor woman called police and told them she also had heard two loud bangs. Another neighbor was in the backyard and reported that she, too, had heard two loud noises like gunshots.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Coeur d’Alene Police Department at (208) 769-2291 or the automated tip line at (208) 769-2296.

– Erica Curless

Campaign forum scheduled Thursday

The Coeur d’Alene Area Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring a forum Thursday for local candidates vying for seats in the Idaho Legislature.

Participants will include candidates in District 4, which includes most of Coeur d’Alene, and District 5, which includes Post Falls and a large segment of Kootenai County.

Coeur d’Alene’s television channel 19 will broadcast the forum live and rebroadcast it several times before the Nov. 7 election.

The public is invited to attend but won’t have the opportunity to ask questions. The chamber’s Public Policy Committee will ask each candidate four questions and give each of them time for an opening and closing statement.

The 5:30 p.m. forum will be at Coeur d’Alene City Hall, 710 E. Mullan Ave.

For more information, call Public Affairs Manager Lucas Braden at the chamber office at (208) 415-0109.

– Erica Curless

Spokane

Antacid sparks 2-hour lockdown at jail

An antacid caused some heartburn Monday for officials at the Spokane County Jail.

The jail was locked down for two hours as hazardous-materials experts assessed the threat from a white powdery substance found in a piece of mail.

It turned out to be Tums antacid, apparently mailed by a relative to an inmate, said Spokane County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Sgt. Dave Reagan.

The hazardous-materials scare began shortly before 11 a.m. when a clerk and others in the room noticed throat and nose irritation. Until the incident was resolved about 1 p.m., officers were prevented from booking new prisoners and visitors were ushered out of the building.

– Jody Lawrence-Turner