Man arrested on suspicion of armed robberies in north Spokane tied to two others in April

The man who was arrested on suspicion of multiple robberies in north Spokane last week has been identified by Spokane police as 37-year-old Tysen R. Foster.

Police arrested Foster after a series of armed robberies Saturday at businesses where a suspect is said to have displayed a firearm. But police believe he may be connected to two others on April 5 and April 12.

Police said the first robbery took place at 6:45 p.m. on April 5 at a business on the 2600 block of North Hamilton Street. The suspect pointed a firearm at multiple people inside the business and demanded money from a store employee and cell phones from customers, police said.

On April 12, just before 8 p.m., a suspect displayed a handgun at a business on the 400 block of East Holland Avenue and demanded money from the business.

Then Friday, shortly after 7:30 a.m., a suspect approached an employee at a business on the 2700 block of North Division Street, displayed a firearm and demanded money.

About half an hour later, a suspect approached a counter at a business on the 900 block of East Wellesley Avenue as if to make a purchase before displaying a firearm and demanding money. A suspect did the same thing at two other businesses about a half an hour apart on East Weile Avenue and the 3200 block of North Nevada Street.

Police identified Foster as a suspect and located his vehicle on the 1300 block of West Boone Avenue just before 11 a.m. Friday. Foster attempted to flee in a vehicle, but police disabled the vehicle and arrested him with the help of a SWAT team.

Foster was booked into the Spokane County Jail on six counts of first-degree robbery, four counts of second-degree assault, and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm.