Sheriff’s office makes arrest in shooting that left two teens injured, car ablaze earlier this month

An 18-year-old man is accused of shooting and wounding two teens after an argument inside a crowded car traveling to Spokane from Northern Quest Resort and Casino earlier this month.

Christian Proctor was charged with two counts of first-degree assault, first-degree robbery and second-degree arson, according to court documents.

Nine people, including Proctor and the two gunshot victims, were traveling the morning of Aug. 2 on West Mission Road in a white GMC Yukon, documents say.

Proctor and a 15-year-old boy started arguing when Proctor pulled out a handgun and fired multiple rounds, hitting the 15-year-old in the neck, back, torso and hip, and an 18-year-old woman in the pelvic area, the sheriff’s office said in documents.

The driver, a minor, pulled the SUV over, and everyone except Proctor and his girlfriend got out, documents say. Proctor drove away and crashed into a ditch before continuing to flee the scene.

A few minutes after the shooting, Proctor parked the SUV outside the Copper River apartment complex, 2865 W. Elliott Dr., detectives said in documents. The girlfriend removed a cellphone, believed to belong to the 18-year-old woman, from the vehicle and smashed it on the ground, likely to eliminate evidence of the alleged crimes.

Proctor and the girlfriend briefly rummaged inside the SUV before walking away from the vehicle as it started burning, detectives said. The vehicle was soon engulfed in flames, and detectives believe Proctor and the girlfriend set the vehicle ablaze to destroy evidence.

Surveillance video captured Proctor and the girlfriend from the time they arrived at the apartment complex to when they left, according to documents.

The owner of the vehicle told the sheriff’s office she picked up friends from a Spokane apartment and went to the casino. She said she left the SUV with friends while she went into the casino, which is where she was at the time of the shooting.

The driver of the vehicle during the shooting said Proctor and the girlfriend were picked up the night before the incident and remained together with the group of friends into the following morning, documents say.

While driving to Spokane that morning, the driver said Proctor started arguing with the 15-year-old. During the argument, Proctor started “freaking out” and shooting at the boy, so he ducked to avoid being shot, pulled the SUV over and got out while it was still rolling forward.

The teen boy who was shot told the sheriff’s office he was unsure who was arguing and what the argument was about, and that he didn’t remember why Proctor shot him. The other shooting victim said Proctor and his girlfriend were upset because she and the boy were talking instead of sharing their vape pen with them, according to court records.

The 15-year-old told detectives the 18-year-old woman climbed on top of him to protect him during the shooting. He said he dove out of the SUV while it was moving and hit his chin on the ground. He then ran to a nearby house and asked a resident to call 911.

The vehicle has three rows of seating, and the two victims were in the middle row while Proctor and his girlfriend were in the back, court records show.

Spokane Falls Community College went into lockdown after the shooting as police searched for suspects.

Proctor made his first appearance Wednesday in Spokane County Superior Court and is set for an arraignment Sept. 6. Proctor remained in the Spokane County Jail Thursday night on a $250,000 bond.

It’s unclear whether Proctor’s girlfriend was charged with crimes.