Police wound gunman who shot Valley man
A police officer shot a 22-year-old man who authorities said became increasingly violent as he ran through a Spokane Valley neighborhood Tuesday morning.
Brandon M. Osborne pointed a gun at neighbors, demanded keys to a man’s van, then broke into a house, according to Spokane Valley Police. Just after Osborne shot the homeowner in the arm, an officer shot him, causing minor injuries.
The shooting occurred on the porch of a house on East Fourth Avenue near South Koren, police said. Neither Osborne nor the 39-year-old victim had life-threatening injuries, although both were hospitalized, said Spokane Valley Police spokesman Cpl. Dave Reagan.
The incident began just before 8 a.m. Two neighbors were talking in the 500 block of South Koren when a parked Toyota’s window exploded in front of them and a man with a pistol got out of the car, Reagan said. A witness told police the window seemed to have been shot from inside the car.
A few minutes later, Steve Paschall was confronted by the gunman as he shoveled a path to his work van in the 5400 block of East Fourth Avenue. Paschall works for George Doran General Contractors, which has a small garage in the area.
The man pulled a gun, demanded Paschall’s keys, and ordered him into the back of the van. Paschall got inside, but then fled, fearing the man would take him hostage.
The gunman either changed his mind about taking the van, or couldn’t get it started and left, Paschall told police.
About that time, Dalton Boibin and Ryan Ridenbaugh were heading toward their bus stop. The Chase Middle School students saw Paschall run toward them. Paschall told the teens they needed to leave because a man had a gun nearby. Moments later, the gunman appeared and pointed the gun at them, they told police.
“I was freaked. We all started running because we thought we were going to get shot,” Ridenbaugh said.
“It’s kind of scary we can’t go to our own bus stop without someone being shot,” Boibin said.
Paschall began talking with a neighbor about the armed man when they heard shots coming from the neighbor’s house.
The neighbor ran into his house and Paschall heard a few more gunshots. The neighbor was bleeding from his arm the next time Paschall saw him.
By that time, Paschall had flagged down a police officer, who had come to investigate reports of gunshots. The officer, who was not identified Tuesday, shot Osborne from behind as Osborne was facing the wounded neighbor, Reagan said.
The officer involved in the shooting was put on routine administrative leave, Reagan said. Several blocks of Fourth Avenue were blocked off much of the day Tuesday while city and Sheriff’s Office detectives investigated.
Paschall couldn’t work Tuesday because his truck, with his tools inside, became part of the crime scene.
“It was a crazy morning. I couldn’t believe it,” Paschall said.
Osborne has a previous conviction for leading Spokane police on a chase while driving a friend’s Pontiac Grand Am in 2001. He pleaded guilty in February 2004, according to court records.
Police say Osborne had a warrant for escaping from community custody. After being treated for two superficial wounds to his back Osborne was booked into the Spokane County Jail on suspicion of kidnapping, robbery and assault Thursday afternoon.