Man slain outside tavern
A young man was killed early New Year’s Day after he was shot outside a north Spokane bar.
The victim had just left Crazy 8’s, 21 E. Lincoln Road, with others around 2 a.m. when someone pulled a handgun and shot him in the chest, said Spokane Police spokesman Dick Cottam. He was taken to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead.
The name of the victim has not been released by police.
Tim Bainter, Crazy 8’s general manager, said Saturday afternoon that it appears a group of people were waiting for the victim in the parking lot and confronted him and his companions after the bar had closed and most customers had left.
A verbal altercation ensued, and two security officers hired by Crazy 8’s separated the parties, Bainter said. The group that included the eventual shooter left the scene.
Shortly after, however, the group returned in their car to a different side of the building and shot the man behind Crazy 8’s, Bainter said.
Police say they are looking for Deric D. Burton to question him about the incident, Cottam said. Burton, who recently lived in Compton, Calif., is black, 5 feet 11, 160 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. Police believe he has gang associations in Spokane.
The victim has been an occasional customer at Crazy 8’s for the past couple of months and never had caused problems in the bar, Bainter said.
“He’s always been respectful,” Bainter said.
Bainter said Crazy 8’s, which opened in July, had a capacity crowd for New Year’s Eve, and there were no incidents inside the bar.
“We had no problems at all all night,” Bainter said. “It wasn’t something that happened in the club and ended in the parking lot.”
Cottam said police are investigating whether a second man may have been grazed by a bullet.
Secret Witness is offering a cash reward for information that leads to his arrest. People do not have to give their name to be eligible for the cash. Anyone with information about Burton is asked to call Crime Check at (509) 456-2233 or Secret Witness at (509) 327-5111.