Robbery during drug deal leads to shooting, crash
SPOKANE, Wash. — A robbery during a drug deal in East Spokane led to a car chase and shooting through neighborhood streets Tuesday evening.
Spokane police say the occupants of a Honda met the occupants of an SUV to buy marijuana near Hartson and Thor. Sometime during the drug deal, one person from the Honda pulled a gun and robbed the people from the SUV of their marijuana.
The Honda fled the scene, but the SUV gave chase. During the chase, a person in the back seat of the Honda leaned out the window and began shooting at the SUV, striking it several times. In response, the SUV rammed the Honda several times.
The chase continued at speeds more than double the legal limit down Hartson, a residential neighborhood, until the Honda lost control and hit a power poll, shearing it in half.
Several witnesses reported seeing the chase and the shooting, so police were already close by when the crash happened.
Spokane Police Corporal, Ron Van Tassel, says when officers arrived on scene, the occupants of the Honda tried to run.
“Three subjects exited the vehicle, took off running. One citizen chased one of the passengers down and detained him and then our K9 tracked the other two down and were [sic] able to locate them hiding,” said Van Tassel.
Police say the SUV fled the scene and was followed by a witness to a residence in the 2100 block of East Mission. Officers responded there and detained the driver of that vehicle, which did have several bullet holes in it.
Two of the people in the Honda were arrested for 1st degree armed robbery and 1st degree assault. Neither of them are adults, so police are not releasing their names at this point.
Though nobody else has been charged so far, police say the driver of the SUV may face charges at some point. Officers say dozens of children were playing in the area of the chase, and they are “extremely lucky and grateful that no innocent bystanders were hurt.”
Police would like anyone with more information on this case to call Crime Check at (509) 456-2233, referencing case number 2018-20149433.
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