Man sentenced to 2 years in prison for shooting a man in downtown Spokane after intervening in argument

A 55-year-old man suspected of shooting a man in downtown Spokane after intervening in a couple’s argument was sentenced to more than two years behind bars for a gun charge, while the assault charge stemming from the shooting was dismissed.

As part of a plea agreement, Sammie Gilmore Jr. pleaded guilty Thursday to first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm. Spokane County deputy prosecutor Sharon Hedlund dismissed the most serious offense, first-degree assault, against Gilmore.

According to court documents, a woman told police she and her fiancé were arguing Nov. 9 near the intersection of Pine Street and Short Avenue when her fiancé knocked a cellphone out of her hand.

That’s when Gilmore stepped out of his vehicle and told the woman something akin to “Step over here and I’ll bet he doesn’t bother you,” court records say.

The fiancé took offense and aggressively walked toward Gilmore, a convicted felon who is not allowed to have a gun.

Gilmore stepped away from the driver’s door and pointed a pistol at the fiancé then lowered the firearm, she told police.

She said her fiancé continued to aggressively walk toward Gilmore, who raised the gun and fired one round, striking him. Gilmore then drove off.

Court documents say the man was in critical condition for a time. Hedlund said Thursday the shooting victim was later released from the hospital.

The woman told police she and Gilmore previously lived in the same apartment complex and had limited contact over the years.

Spokane police arrested Gilmore without incident two days after the shooting at a Spokane Valley residence. Police said investigators recovered a firearm.

Hedlund said the shooting victim did not want to cooperate in the case.

“He probably understood his own behavior escalated the situation,” she said.

Gilmore has two strikes against him, meaning if he was convicted of the assault charge, he would have faced life imprisonment, Hedlund said.

Gilmore’s attorney, Victoria Blumhorst, said Gilmore would have had a viable “defense of others” argument had the case gone to trial since Gilmore was protecting a woman he viewed was in a domestic violence situation. If not a convicted felon, Gilmore likely would not have been in court Thursday, she said.

“I think he has learned his lesson,” Blumhorst said.

Gilmore, wearing red Spokane County Jail inmate clothing, apologized to the court.

Spokane County Superior Court Judge Rachelle Anderson sentenced Gilmore to 26 months in prison, which both attorneys recommended. Gilmore, who has been in jail since Nov. 11, will be given credit for time served.