According to the Spokane Police Department, a violent confrontation at a Walmart resulted in an officer-involved shooting that killed the suspect. An officer was working a shoplifting prevention special at the Walmart at 9212 North Colton Street around 9:30 AM on December 3, 2023.

When the officer became aware of an individual trying to shoplift, the officer requested assistance from another officer. Once the backup officer reached the scene, the officers approached the suspect as he started to exit the store past all points of sale.

Authorities say a physical confrontation ensued when officers approached the suspect. The physical confrontation was prolonged. Preliminary information indicates that TASERs were used, but that did not stop the physical confrontation. An officer-involved shooting occurred just before 10:20 AM.

The individual succumbed to his injuries. According to the Spokane Police Department, officers recovered what appeared to be a firearm and ammunition. The involved officers sustained minor injuries with one being evaluated at a local hospital.

The Spokane Police Officer who fired his weapon was placed on incident review leave per standard protocol. The identity of the deceased and the cause and manner of death will be released by the Spokane County Medical Examiner’s Office at a later time. The Spokane Police Department will release the names of the officers involved at a later time.

Once the SIIR Team finishes its investigation, the case will be forwarded to the Spokane County Prosecutor’s Office for review.