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Man pleads guilty in drive-by shooting of Spokane police officer

Escorted by corrections officers, Ray Wynecoop, one of the men who shot and injured a Spokane police officer last year, enters Spokane County Superior Court Judge Tony Hazel’s court room Monday morning to plead guilty of attempted murder of a police officer. (DAN PELLE/THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW)
By Alexandra Duggan alexandrad@spokesman.com(509) 459-5469

A man who tried to kill a Spokane Police officer in a 2022 drive-by shooting for “street cred” pleaded guilty Monday morning to 13 charges associated with the shooting.

Ray Wynecoop, 23, appeared in a red Spokane County Jail jumpsuit in front of Spokane Superior County Court Judge Tony Hazel. As he stood, his defense attorney patted his back. Six members of law enforcement were also watching from the gallery.

Wynecoop spoke very little during his plea hearing, only responding to Hazel with, “Yes, your honor,” and “No, your honor.” He appeared somewhat emotionless as Hazel read the penalties for pleading guilty – losing his driver’s license, not being able to vote, being unable to appeal his guilty plea and the possibility of being sentenced to up to life in prison.

Wynecoop was charged with attempted first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, aggravated assault and numerous other charges for shooting and injuring Spokane Police Officer Kris Honaker in June 2022.

Wynecoop and alleged co-conspirator Isaac Ott, 22, filmed themselves discussing targeting police officers for “street cred” just before the shooting, court documents say. The two were targeting Spokane Police Officer Michele Kernkamp, documents said, and then ended up shooting at Honaker. Seven shots were fired at Honaker’s patrol car as he passed through the intersection at Empire Avenue and Perry Street. One bullet hit his leg, and another grazed the top of his head, sending him to the hospital for a short time, according to previous reporting from The Spokesman-Review.

The two men crashed their car and then ran until they were detained by police.

According to court documents, Wynecoop told someone over a jailhouse phone that if he could, he would “do it again.”

In other phone conversations, he is heard laughing and calling himself a “legend,” documents say, and that he tried to “shoot it out with every cop.”

Prosecutors asked for his sentencing to be set in 60 to 90 days to accommodate the federal government’s timeline, since Wynecoop is also charged in federal court with felony possession of a firearm and fentanyl possession. The state told the judge they will be asking for the “high end” of Wynecoop’s sentence. His sentencing date is yet to be set.

Spokane Police told The Spokesman-Review via email that officers will continue to monitor the case and look forward to the conclusion of legal proceedings.

“Today, an individual involved in a calculated and vicious attack on law enforcement pleaded guilty to numerous felony charges…” the police department wrote. “We are grateful for the welfare of our officers involved, and that they were willing and able to continue to serve the citizens of Spokane.”