Prosecutor rules shooting of Chattaroy homeowner in confrontation with deputy justified

The Spokane County Prosecutor’s office ruled Tuesday that the shooting of a Chattaroy homeowner during a confrontation with a Spokane County Sheriff’s Deputy was justified.

The prosecutor’s office under Larry Haskell has not filed charges against an officer in any of the 28 shootings involving officers from January 2015 to May 2021.

Lloyd Vaughn, 41, was shot March 7 in Chattaroy by Deputy Craig Cupo.

Earlier that day, his wife requested that a deputy conduct a prowl check and also reported a theft at 6521 E. Grouse Road in Chattaroy, according to court documents. The couple also reported some items had been staged for the thieves to return and steal, according to the prosecutor’s office.

Later that day, Vaughn went to the property to secure it and stay overnight to see if the intruder returned, according to court documents.

Cupo arrived at the property at about 7 p.m. to do a check, thinking the property was unoccupied based on the Vaughns’ earlier Crime Check report, according to the prosecutor’s office. Ten minutes later, Cupo reported shots had been fired, according to court documents.

Vaughn was shot in the shoulder. Cupo told an investigating officer he had just arrived for the check when Vaughn came out of the shop and pointed a gun in his face. The deputy said he identified himself as a deputy multiple times, but Vaughn told the officer to back off using an expletive.

Then Vaughn fired at Cupo, who returned fire with his service weapon, Cupo said.

Vaughn told investigators a different version of events, saying he saw headlights of a vehicle, then a man approach the corner of the shop and shine a light around the property, Vaughn told police.

He confronted the then-unknown person from the door, shouting at him not to move and put his hands up, according to court records.

The deputy responded by shining a light in Vaughn’s eyes, according to court documents. Vaughn said the two had a flashlight “stare down.”

Just a few seconds later, Vaughn said he saw a flash and was hit in the left shoulder standing in the doorway of his shop, according to court documents.

He fired four rounds out of his gun in response, according to court documents.

Investigators found Vaughn’s gun with the four spent shell casings as described, but found his flashlight upright on a top shelf in the shop, something investigators suggested in court documents was a discrepancy in Vaughn’s story.

The discrepancy was not addressed in the prosecutor’s office announcement that the shooting was justified, but the prosecutor’s office’s version of events had Vaughn firing first.

“Under these facts and circumstances, Deputy Cupo was justified in his use of deadly force,” the prosecutor’s office wrote. “At the time of the application of deadly force, Deputy Cupo was being fired upon …”

Shortly after the shooting, Vaughn was released from the hospital but has not responded to requests for comment from The Spokesman-Review.