SIRR Team completes investigation of August suicide

The Spokane Investigative Regional Response (SIRR) Team has completed their investigation into the August 2, 2016, incident during which a man took his own life in Spokane Valley. 

23-year-old Thomas Allenton was questioned after a traffic stop earlier in the evening at 8:34 pm, in the area of Sprague and Freya. 

During the traffic stop deputies learned Allenton was in possession of a legally owned handgun, and that he was driving on a suspended license. 

Allenton was cited for the suspended license and his vehicle was impounded.  

He was released upon conclusion of that investigation.

 At 9:11 pm, a citizen reported hearing gun shots and seeing a male walking with a gun in his hand in the area of 1 st and Rebecca. 

Officers from the Spokane Police Department and Spokane Valley Police Department began searching the area for the male. 

At 10:47 pm, another caller reported seeing a man walking with a gun in his hand. 

Authorities identified him to be Allenton. They began to give Allenton commands but he continued walking. 

Deputies followed Allenton as he entered a parking lot in the area of Appleway and Farr at which time he placed the gun he was carrying to his head. 

Deputies continued to negotiate with Allenton and at some point fired two bean bag shotgun rounds at him in an attempt to take him into custody. 

Allenton fell to the ground after being struck by the bean bag rounds.  He then got back up and used the handgun he had to take his own life.

The completed investigation has been forwarded to the Spokane County Prosecutor’s Office for review.