Spokane Police officer will not face criminal charges in fatal October shooting
SPOKANE, Wash. — Spokane Police Officer Caleb Martin will not face criminal charges in the fatal shooting of David W. Shafer.
The Spokane County Prosecutor’s Office determined that Officer Martin was justified in his use of lethal force while responding to a call of a suicidal man on October 23.
RELATED: Medical examiner identifies man shot and killed by Spokane Police officer
Officers arrived at the 3400 block of East Garnet, where they learned Shafer had a gun, but his neighbors had disarmed him. Shafer went back in the house and retrieved another firearm, and was pointing it at other houses.
Officer Martin repeatedly told him to drop his weapon, but Shafer did not comply, and at one point aimed his gun at Martin, who shot him twice in self-defense.
A further investigation revealed that Shafer’s gun was unloaded.
According to the Spokane County Prosecutor’s Office, Officer Martin had acted in good faith, and Shafer posed a serious threat by ignoring Officer Martin’s commands.
COPYRIGHT 2022 BY KXLY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.
