Man Involved In Fistfight Shot To Death Suspect In Downtown Shooting Says Gun Fired Accidentally Four Or Five Times

A man involved in a fistfight in front of a downtown convenience store early Sunday was shot to death.

The 27-year-old’s name wasn’t released, pending notification of relatives.

He and another man began fighting about 2 a.m. in front of Mid City Food Mart at Lincoln and Second. The victim was shot at least twice. He was later pronounced dead at an area hospital.

Police arrested Lanolan Anderson, 21, who said he moved to Spokane from Seattle about a month ago.

He’s being held in the Spokane County Jail on suspicion of first-degree murder.

Bail hasn’t been set.

In a jail interview Sunday night, Anderson said he didn’t shoot anybody on purpose. “That’s not the case,” said Anderson.

His head was wrapped in white gauze from being hit in the head during the fracas. He looked down at a table as he talked, rubbing his forehead with his hands.

Police said Anderson saw two men fighting in the parking lot, apparently recognized one of them and intervened.

Anderson drew a semiautomatic handgun and ran toward the men, police said. He allegedly fired a shot that hit the victim in the lower buttocks.

The gun then jammed, police said. A friend of the victim tried to disarm Anderson, who hit him with the gun and dazed him, police said.

Anderson then turned back to the wounded man and fired three more shots, one of which hit the victim in the chest, police said.

The victim’s friend then wrestled the gun from Anderson and struck him with the weapon, according to police.

That’s when police arrived. Anderson was first taken to a hospital for treatment of his head wound. Then he was taken to jail.

Anderson said he went to the convenience store with his girlfriend early Sunday morning. He bought his girlfriend some nachos, and grabbed a chicken sandwich and a pop for himself.

Anderson said he was smoking a cigarette in the parking lot when the fight started. He said he ran over and tried to break it up but was grabbed by a man who ran out from the store.

The man started hitting Anderson in the head with a gun, he said.

Anderson added that he wrestled for the gun and it fired accidentally four or five times.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo