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Spokane County Prosecutor determines no wrongdoing by seven officers in downtown shooting

One person is placed in the back of a Spokane police vehicle near the intersection of First Avenue and Cedar Street in this October 2022 photo. A suspected drug courier was shot during the incident, and he now faces a drug-trafficking charge. (Quinn Welsch)
By Garrett Cabeza garrettc@spokesman.com(509) 459-5135

The Spokane County Prosecutor has declined to file charges against the seven police officers who fired their weapons and injured Israel Garcia during a drug-related downtown exchange of gunfire about two years ago .

The prosecutor’s office determined detectives Corrigan Mohondro and Juan Rodriguez, Cpl. Brandon Lynch and officers Brandon Fabian, Daniel Valencia, Adres Valencia and Shawn Maguire acted appropriately when they shot Garcia after he shot at them as they tried to arrest him on drug charges. Garcia is accused of bringing drugs to Spokane from the Yakima area, a Spokane County news release said.

Members of the Spokane Police Department’s Special Investigations Unit, Violent Crimes Task Force and SWAT and federal agents from the Drug Enforcement Agency planned to intercept an incoming major narcotics delivery on Oct. 16, 2022.

Late that morning, a black Chrysler 300 pulled in front of an apartment building on First Avenue and Cedar Street. Multiple unmarked police units, equipped with flashing blue and red lights, moved in to pin the vehicle to avoid a high-speed chase, the county wrote.

Garcia, whose identity was unknown to police at the time, was in the front passenger seat.

After blocking the Chrysler’s escape, officers got out of their vehicles and ordered the vehicle occupants to show their hands. Garcia got out and fired multiple shots at police, injuring Fabian, according to court records. Police fired back multiple times and Garcia fell to the sidewalk.

Garcia and Fabian were taken to the hospital. Fabian’s injuries were not life-threatening; Garcia was in critical condition. Both survived.

Investigators determined Garcia was armed with a .45-caliber handgun. Multiple cellphones, another pistol and more than 15,000 fentanyl pills were located in the Chrysler. The vehicle had several people inside, including a child. All were unharmed.

Garcia faces multiple felonies in federal court. State charges are expected to follow.