Two drive-by shootings, motel shooting keep Spokane police officers busy
Spokane police said they responded to two drive-by shootings within a half-hour of each other Tuesday in the Emerson-Garfield Neighborhood. Several hours later, officers were called to a West Hills motel shooting and found a bullet hole in the ceiling of one of the rooms.
Officers first responded shortly before 5 p.m. to several calls reporting gunshots in the area of Lincoln Street and Cleveland Avenue, according to a police news release. One caller reported shots were fired from a black vehicle that fled. Police did not find anyone injured.
About 30 minutes later, officers were dispatched to the area on another report of shots fired from a black vehicle that left the scene, police said. Police found a bullet hole in a shed and several bullet holes in a home in the 2900 block of North Lincoln Street.
Witnesses reported a man running down the street from the area of Lincoln and Cleveland. The man got into a white vehicle.
Police believe two parties may have been shooting at one another before leaving separately in the white and black vehicles, according to police.
Officers located the black vehicle at a house in the 600 block of East Lacrosse Avenue. A male got out of the black vehicle and entered another parked next to it. Officers detained the male and several others. Police said they found a gun in the car.
Travis B. Williams, 25, was arrested and booked into the Spokane County Jail on suspicion of second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm. He is scheduled for a first appearance Thursday in Spokane County Superior Court.
Police are investigating who was involved in the shooting, and additional charges are possible.
Officers were then called shortly before 1 a.m. to a motel in the 1500 block of South Rustle Street where a gunshot was reportedly fired from one of the rooms, police said.
Officers found the room empty and a bullet hole in the ceiling. A number of people were seen fleeing from the room after the gunshot. Officers located one of the people, who officers said was not forthcoming with information.
No injuries were reported, and no suspects were identified.
Police ask anyone with information on the shootings to call Crime Check at (509) 456-2233. Reference case No. 2024-20147566 for the north Spokane shooting and 2024-20147834 for the motel shooting.