Wanted man hospitalized after deputy-involved shooting in northeast Spokane

A man wanted on a felony warrant was sent to the hospital after he was shot Sunday morning by a Spokane County Sheriff’s deputy at a storage facility, according to the sheriff’s office.

According to a preliminary investigation, the man was shot after he failed to comply with commands and drove his vehicle toward a deputy in the storage complex, Spokane Undersheriff John Nowels said Sunday. No deputies were injured. The deputy who fired the shots – who has not yet been named – has been placed on administrative leave, Nowels said.

The shooting occurred after deputies went around 6:25 a.m. to Lyons Self Storage at 1707 Lyons Ave. in search of a man wanted for felony motor vehicle theft and two other misdemeanors, Nowels said to reporters Sunday.

Two deputies, confirming the subject was at the storage complex, made a plan to block the keypad to prevent him from leaving, Nowels said. The deputies entered the storage complex around 7 a.m. and made contact with the man, who was in a truck.

The two deputies blocked the man’s truck to prevent him from escaping.

One deputy, who was in a marked patrol car, made contact with the front of the truck and activated his emergency lights.

“At that point, the suspect emerged from the bed of the pickup truck, did not comply with commands, jumped into the pickup truck, put the pickup truck in gear, revved the engine and reversed towards the second deputy, who was on foot behind the vehicle,” Nowels said. “The deputy behind the vehicle was between the vehicle and the building with the vehicle accelerating towards the deputy. Shots were fired.

“At that point, more commands were given as the suspect was down inside the vehicle,” Nowels continued. “After not complying with any commands, the suspect re-emerged in the driver’s seat, put the vehicle back into gear.”

Additional shots were fired from the same deputy, who was on foot, Nowels said. The vehicle struck the inside of the building as it moved forward.

The deputies rendered first aid as more law enforcement arrived and medical personnel took over, the sheriff’s office said. The man who was shot was then taken to the hospital where he went into surgery.

The Spokane Police Department is leading Spokane Independent Investigative Response team investigation.