MEDICAL LAKE, Wash. — A crime spree in Medical Lake left two people dead after a series of incidents that authorities believe involved the same suspect.
It started with a report of a brush fire near Medical Lake High School. About an hour and a half later, deputies responded to a break-in just a few blocks away, where a man fired several shots while people hid inside. Then came another shooting outside Eastern State Hospital that ended with two people dead.
The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office believes all three incidents could involve the same person.
“Realizing it was straight down the street from me was pretty scary,” said Sarah McConnell, who has been living in the area for three years. “I would never have expected it but I guess that is kind of the world we live in.”
“That could have easily been my house. And I just I feel horrible for everybody involved, too,” McConnell said.
“I was kind of shocked. We don’t have that stuff happening out here. We don’t have much crime,” said Scott Christenson who lives about a block away.
Since this shooting involved a deputy, the investigation has been handed off to the Spokane Independent Investigative Response Team.
The Sheriff’s office said the deputy who is believed to have fired his rifle has been put on administrative leave.
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