Man suspected of kidnapping another man at downtown apartment building while impersonating officer

A man says he was attacked, burglarized and held against his will Sunday in his own apartment unit in downtown Spokane by another man who claimed to be an Air Force police officer on Saturday afternoon, according to court documents.

The victim was at his residence at the Coeur d’Alene Plaza Apartments, 228 N. Howard St., where his apartment door’s lock was already broken, when Dedrick K. Belson entered uninvited at about 2 p.m.

Belson, 53, told the man he was under arrest and used “an arrest control technique” to gain his compliance, according to court documents. Belson forced the man to empty buckets of clothing in search of some unknown “evidence,” the victim told authorities.

Belson held a long object against the man, whose arms were forced behind his back, as Belson moved him to his own apartment unit nearby. Belson told him he was under arrest for “being a terrorist.”

Another neighbor heard Belson accusing the victim of terrorism and called police. The victim’s mother heard the two struggling while she was on the phone with the victim just prior to the attack and also called the police.

Police officers heard Belson yelling and entered the apartment, where they found the victim lying on the floor but not physically injured. Belson did not cooperate with officer commands.

Police said Belson reached for his waistband but was quickly detained. Police recovered an 8-inch knife from him.

Belson was arrested on suspicion of first-degree kidnapping, first-degree burglary, second-degree assault and first -degree impersonation of a police officer. He remained in the Spokane County Jail on $10,000 bond.

A Spokane police spokeswoman said it’s unclear whether the suspect and victim knew each other.

Belson was also involved in a knife fight with another man at the Witter Aquatic Center in 2020. Belson attacked that man near the pool parking lot with a baton and then a knife, according to court documents. The fight stemmed from a parking dispute.

Belson was arrested but later released on his own recognizance in 2021. The case has been pending a competency evaluation.