Man accused of murder blows kiss at victim’s family in court

SPOKANE, Wash. — Spokane Police arrested a man they say was involved in a deadly shooting downtown.

Diandre Raevon Johnson, 24, was booked into the Spokane County Jail on Monday night for second-degree murder.

Johnson is accused of shooting and killing 25-year-old Steven A. Cavitt near Riverside and Washington on Saturday. Police said Cavitt confronted Johnson about something in a parking lot.

People who said they saw the shooting told investigators Johnson put his hand in Cavitt’s face and Cavitt swiped his hand away. That’s when Johnson pulled out his gun and shot him, police said.

Investigators say they are trying to figure out if tensions between gang members had anything to do with it. Some witnesses said it did.

Spokane Police said Johnson had a gun when they arrested him outside a store on Monday night. He was out on bail for first-degree assault from an April 2020 incident and has an extensive criminal history.

Johnson’s girlfriend said he told her he had been involved in a shooting. She told investigators she even helped him get rid of the gun. However, she said she didn’t know it may have been a murder weapon, according to investigators.

While Johnson was in court Tuesday, he came across as casual about the charges he faces. He even blew a kiss at Cavitt’s family who was sitting in the courtroom. He pleaded not guilty to three charges. His bail was set at $1 million.

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