SPOKANE, Wash. — Four Spokane police officers were justified in using deadly force when a man pointed what appeared to be a suppressed rifle at them on December 29, 2024, according to the Spokane County Prosecutor’s Office.
Officers Garth Craigen, Willie Mitchell, Matt Stewart, and Daniel Valencia shot Joshua Todd Lee Musselman, 35, after he aimed a firearm at their position from his apartment landing near the intersection of West Cora Avenue and North Post Street
According to officials, the incident began around 3:03 p.m. when police received a call about a man yelling and throwing items. Officers found Musselman agitated, then left to avoid escalation.
About an hour later, another 911 call reported a man firing a rifle into an adjacent hillside. Officers positioned themselves 100 feet from Musselman’s third-floor apartment.
Musselman exited with the rifle and raised it toward the officers. Officer Stewart called out, “Hey, he’s got a rifle!” according to body camera recordings. All four officers discharged their weapons. Musselman was pronounced dead at the scene.
The weapon was a Gamo Swarm Magnum Gen 3i .177 caliber pellet rifle with a scope and suppressor, according to investigators. Despite being a pellet rifle, it could produce muzzle velocities of 1,650 feet per second and cause death.
The pellet rifle appeared to be a functional, suppressed firearm from 100 feet away. Witness Shane Culp, who called 911, also believed it was a suppressed rifle.
The officers met legal requirements for justified use of deadly force, according to the prosecutor’s analysis. They had probable cause to believe the man posed an immediate threat.
Musselman had a history of mental health crises and substance abuse. Toxicology showed methamphetamine, THC, and ethanol in his system. The prosecutor determined his mental health status did not negate the immediate threat.
The four officers fired 16 total rounds. Mitchell fired five, Craigen fired one, Valencia fired four, and Stewart fired six.
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