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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Spokane police identify suspect in killing of 13-year-old Gavin Looper, who was shot in drive-by while playing video games

Gavin Looper, 13, was killed in a shooting early Saturday morning.  (gofundme)

After 13-year-old Peperzak Middle School student Gavin Looper was shot through a door in a drive-by shooting, his father and brother held his hand as he laid bleeding on the floor and told him to fight.

He fought hard for an hour, said his mother, Renee Rogers. Gavin died early Saturday morning from a gunshot wound to the head.

“When it happened, I kept saying, ‘How am I going to bury my baby?’ ” Rogers said Tuesday. “I still haven’t been able to see him. His body is a crime scene.”

Rogers said her ex-husband, John Looper, took their boys – Gavin and his older brother – to a friend’s house on the 2800 block of East Heroy Avenue in North Spokane. At 2:40 a.m. Saturday, Gavin’s brother was watching a movie and Gavin was sitting on a bed in the house playing Call of Duty, a popular video game, when gunshots rang throughout the house, Rogers said. Gavin’s father raced into the bedroom and tried to apply pressure on his body, not knowing where the wounds were in the chaos of the shooting.

“It was literally the worst night my kids could’ve been over there,” Rogers said. “They shot through the back door. He was on the other side.”

Spokane police are searching for Glen Dylan Burkey, a 25-year-old suspected of the Saturday drive-by shooting that killed Gavin Looper, 13.  (Spokane Police)
Spokane police are searching for Glen Dylan Burkey, a 25-year-old suspected of the Saturday drive-by shooting that killed Gavin Looper, 13. (Spokane Police)

Spokane police on Tuesday identified 25-year-old Glen Dylan Burkey as the suspect responsible for the shooting death of Gavin, according to a department news release. Investigators believe the shooting was not a random act.

“I can’t wait to look him in the eye at court and get a sliver of justice for my sweet boy,” Rogers said, noting she has faith Burkey will be caught.

Burkey is facing charges of a drive-by shooting, second-degree murder and second-degree assault, the release said. He has not been arrested.

“It’s unfair,” Rogers said about the death of her son. “I’m struggling.”

She will remember Gavin as the loudest, funniest, most joyful personality in the room, she said. He loved flag football, the Dodgers, Minecraft and, most important, teasing his brother. He also loved to be completely unserious, she said, and his obnoxious jokes always made her laugh.

A memory Rogers holds onto following Gavin’s death is their visit to Seattle to watch a Mariners game, where he was doing his best to make it “on the big screen.” She also remembers calling Gavin the “Excuse King,” when he was little because he didn’t want to take naps.

“He would say, ‘I can’t go to sleep. I’ll miss you too much,’ ” Rogers said.

Gavin Looper at a young age with his mom, Renee Rogers. Gavin was killed at age 13 in a North Spokane drive-by shooting on Jan. 25.  (Courtesy)
Gavin Looper at a young age with his mom, Renee Rogers. Gavin was killed at age 13 in a North Spokane drive-by shooting on Jan. 25. (Courtesy)

As Gavin grew, the nickname of the “Excuse King” slowly turned into a new nickname from his parents and five siblings – they called him “Goose.”

“When he was little, he would sneeze and make these noises and it sounded like a duck or a goose. We started calling him ‘Gavy Goose,’ and ‘Goose’ just stuck,” Rogers said. “One of his favorite movies was ‘Top Gun.’ And he would run around saying, ‘Talk to me, Goose!’ ”

Gavin’s stepfather, stricken with grief, posted on Facebook over the weekend after his son’s death: “Talk to me Goose,” he wrote.

Rogers called the shooting “a one-off situation,” one with the worst timing.

“I live a good, safe, healthy life. My kids aren’t involved in bad things,” she said. “My innocent boy getting caught in that is enraging me.”

Since Gavin’s death, a GoFundMe aimed to help the family raise funeral expenses has reached more than $18,000 as of Tuesday evening, and the family also held a vigil over the weekend to commemorate Gavin’s life. The amount of support has helped, Rogers said.

“He was everybody’s favorite little kid,” she said.

Gavin Looper, a 13-year-old boy killed in a drive-by shooting in Spokane on Jan. 25, 2025.  (Courtesy)
Gavin Looper, a 13-year-old boy killed in a drive-by shooting in Spokane on Jan. 25, 2025. (Courtesy)

Ponderosa Bar & Grill in Spokane Valley will be holding a fundraiser for Gavin’s family on Tuesday, from 3 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., according to a Facebook post by the restaurant.

The restaurant will donate 25% of the proceeds to the family, the post said. They will be serving chicken quesadillas, Gavin’s favorite food, and hosting a brownie bar with colorful toppings, his favorite dessert.

“Gavin was a whirlwind of energy – silly, hyper, and always full of life. He loved the outdoors, especially running wild, camping, and playing football. He was a fan of junk food, especially brownies and anything a little ‘obnoxious.’ He enjoyed video games, drawing, and sporting the coolest socks he could find,” the post said. “Let’s come together to support the Rogers family during this difficult time and celebrate the memory of their amazing son.”