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15-year-old boy killed in drive-by shooting in third shooting at that address since 2019

A shooting at 3104 East Fifth Avenue left a 15-year-old boy dead Thursday afternoon. It's the second death from a shooting at the address in two years, and at least the third shooting there. (Maggie Quinlan / The Spokesman-Review)
By Maggie Quinlan maggieq@spokesman.com(509) 459-5135
A shooting at 3104 East Fifth Avenue left a 15-year-old boy dead Thursday afternoon. It's the second death from a shooting at the address in two years, and at least the third shooting there. (Maggie Quinlan / The Spokesman-Review)

Streetlight shined through fresh bullet holes in a fence around 6:30 p.m. Thursday as the sun started to set. A 15-year-old boy was shot in the backyard of 3104 E. Fifth Ave.in a drive-by shooting, witnesses said. He was transported to a hospital but later died, Sgt. John O’Brien said.

It’s not the first shooting at the address.

On April 28, 2019, Jason Allison, 35, was killed at the same complex, the Fifth Avenue Court apartments. A month later, another man was shot and seriously injured there. But the neighborhood has also seen hopeful growth.

The apartment is next-door to the Carl Maxey Center, a community gathering place for Black Spokane residents named after the late Spokane civil rights attorney.

Michael Brown, who owns a restaurant across from the residence, said he’s lived in the area for 60 years and sees it improving.

“Look around,” he said, gesturing to the businesses across the street.

He said the problems at that address aren’t representative of the neighborhood as a whole. The chalkboard outside the restaurant encourages people to turn to God. He said if a few neighbors would remember the first and second commandments to “love thy God” and “love thy neighbor,” all the violence would disappear.

Witnesses described hearing from four to six gunshots. Police have received varying descriptions of cars that passed at the moment witnesses heard gunfire and are working to identify a suspect or suspects, O’Brien said.

Police received the 911 call around 2:45 p.m. and, as of 6 p.m., were awaiting a judge’s approval to execute a search warrant at the residence.

“This neighborhood has been plagued by violence,” said Braydn Hunt, who lives a block from the shooting and heard the shots as his daughter napped.

Police are investigating to find out whether the shooter and victim had a relationship or the shooting was random, O’Brien said. Around 7 p.m., Spokane Police Department’s forensics and major crimes units were still at the scene.