Purse snatching on South Hill turns into civilian car chase and shooting; no injurues

Detectives are investigating a purse-snatching that turned into a suspected shooting Wednesday. No one was hurt, and deputies are searching for suspects.

Spokane County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a report at about 5:10 p.m. that a man snatched the victim’s purse at Albertson’s at 3010 E. 57th Ave. and got into a gold PT Cruiser with no license plate that was driven by a woman. The car drove away, according to a Spokane County Sheriff’s Office news release.

Deputies learned a driver in another car was following the PT Cruiser, and at the intersection of 57th and Regal Street, the male suspect pointed an old-style revolver at the witness and shot at him, according to the news release.

The witness lost the PT Cruiser near East 49th Avenue and South Crestline Street.

Another witness found the victim’s purse after the thief threw it out of car on the 6200 block of South Moran Drive. The victim said only cash was taken from the purse.

The male suspect is white, 20 to 26 years old, about 5 foot, 10 inches tall, and about 140 pounds with brown hair. The female suspect is white, 28 to 40 years old, of unknown height, 160 to 190 pounds with blonde hair, according to the news release.

Anyone with information on the suspects or surveillance footage is asked to call Detective Nate Bohanek at (509) 477-3223.