Man shot by police in August standoff sentenced to more than 13 years in prison

A robbery suspect shot by Spokane police in August will serve more than 13 years in prison, according to a Spokane County Sheriff’s Office news release.

Police suspected Jonathan M. Buttrom, 29, of robbing several cellphone stores when they moved in to arrest him Aug. 7. Police said they saw a firearm. Witnesses heard Buttrom call out to police officers that he wanted to die and saw him hold what appeared to be a gun to his own head as police tried to calm him down, asking him to breathe.

Officers, Dale Harvey and Christopher Johnson, ultimately fired at Buttrom, wounding him.

Curt Hoagland, who lives close to where officers fired their weapons, said he watched when he saw the emergency lights. Though he said he was surprised by the gunfire, he said the shot seemed “perfectly justified,” as it seemed to be intended to prevent the Buttrom from shooting himself.

Buttrom pleaded guilty to two felony charges related to the Aug. 7 standoff with police: second-degree assault and first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm, the release said.

He also pleaded guilty to six unrelated felony charges: four counts of first-degree robbery, unlawful possession of a firearm and first-degree kidnapping.

Buttrom was sentenced to serve 160 months in a Washington State Department of Corrections facility and 36 months of Washington State Department of Corrections Community Custody upon his release from prison, the release said.

The investigation into the incident is ongoing, with “no additional information to report,” the release said.