SPOKANE, Wash. — The fatal shooting of a man in south Garland District on Sunday night is the latest of several officer-involved shootings in Spokane this year.
Around 5 p.m. on December 29, Spokane Police Department and several other law enforcement agencies responded to call about a man with a gun at the Northcliff Terrace Apartments near Cora Avenue and Post Street.
Shane Culp lives at the complex and said he was taking the garbage out when he saw his neighbor outside firing a rifle and yelling at someone who wasn’t there.
“We’ve had problems with him before, but I’ve never seen him brandish a weapon,” said Culp. “I was hoping he wouldn’t fire on me.” He called the police who responded within minutes.
“They surrounded the area and blocked off the street with the active shooter. They went to the bottom of the apartment complex. As he was walking out, he had the rifle in his hand. They told him to drop it. He didn’t drop it, so they made him drop it,” said Culp.
According to SPD, up to four officers fired their guns during the shooting. At least one gunshot hit the suspect, who died at the scene from his injuries.
Culp lives across the street from the man who was shot and said he witnessed everything from his apartment.
“They fired around 8-12 shots. I thought they were using rubber bullets, but they weren’t rubber bullets,” he said.
The Spokane Police Department has used deadly force more times this year than in both 2023 and 2022.
The shooting at the Northcliff Terrace Apartments was the department’s 6th time SPD has shot at a suspect this year. There were two police shootings in 2023 and five in 2022.
According to SPD, the officers who shot their guns at the apartment complex will be placed on administrative leave and the Spokane Independent Investigation Response Team will conduct the investigation.
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