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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Deputy fired first after finding armed felon

A deputy confronted by an armed fugitive fired the first shots in a gunbattle that left the wanted man wounded, authorities said Thursday.

Spokane County sheriff’s Deputy Jeff Thurman feared for his life after encountering a gun-toting Jason L. Mann hiding in a backyard Dec. 28 with his weapon drawn, said Spokane Police Department spokeswoman Jennifer DeRuwe. When the suspect refused to surrender, authorities said, Thurman opened fire.

Mann, 25, shot back but was apprehended, police said, after Thurman fired another volley. Mann now is facing a first-degree assault charge after being released from a Spokane-area hospital, where he was treated for three gunshot wounds suffered in last week’s shootout.

The sequence disclosed Thursday contradicts earlier police statements suggesting that it was the deputy who was fired on first.

Spokane police Officer Glenn Bartlett said last week that the deputy came under fire after finding the suspect hiding. “When he approached that individual, the individual opened fire, with a firearm obviously, shooting at the deputy,” Bartlett said at the time. “The deputy returned fire, incapacitating him.”

The new details disclosed Thursday emerged as part of a continuing investigation of the predawn shootout. Authorities said follow-up interviews with the deputies involved and others enabled police to solidify the sequence of events.

Detectives are still awaiting a variety of test results before they conclude their investigation, DeRuwe said.

The investigation revealed that Thurman followed Mann’s shoeprints in the snow to the backyard at 320 S. Ferrall St., where he discovered Mann hiding, DeRuwe said.

“At one point, Deputy Thurman slipped and fell and lost his flashlight,” DeRuwe said. “The suspect stepped out of the dark and fired at the deputy.” Thurman fired again. Mann then was taken into custody.

A total of 23 rounds were fired by Thurman, who was uninjured in the shootout, but only 21 casings were found because of weather conditions and where the incident occurred, DeRuwe said. Mann was hit at least three times.

Police found two shell casings of the same caliber as Mann’s gun, DeRuwe said. Police are unsure how many times the wanted felon fired his gun.

DeRuwe also confirmed Thursday that Thurman’s mother was in his patrol car for a ride-along when the shooting occurred. Thurman’s mother, who was not identified, alerted dispatchers when she heard shots fired, DeRuwe said.

“As far as exactly what she said or did, I don’t know,” DeRuwe said. “A lot of that will come out when the investigation is done.”

Sheriff’s Sgt. Dave Reagan said he’s prevented by departmental rules from talking about the details of the shooting because the Spokane Police Department is in charge of the investigation, which is part of a protocol used when deputies or police officers are involved in shootings.

But he said deputies are encouraged to occasionally take family members or friends with them on patrol.

“They are observers and not supposed to become physically involved because obviously there is some risk to an untrained civilian who goes on a ride-along,” Reagan said. “However, we feel it’s beneficial for them learning more about the great job of law enforcement.”

Reagan commended Thurman’s mother for making the call on the radio.

“That would be something that I would want them to do and suggest them to do at the start of the ride-along,” he said. “If she did anything beyond that, I don’t know.”

The incident started about 2:40 a.m. Dec. 28 when Deputy Tyler Smith stopped a car at Second Avenue and arrested the driver, who had a suspended license.

Mann, who was wanted on a felony escape warrant, was a passenger in the car and fled on foot.

Thurman and his mother arrived on scene and Thurman tracked Mann to an alley behind Thor and Third, about a block from where the shooting took place. Thurman’s mother apparently remained in the car.

DeRuwe said Thurman, who was hired in 2001, has submitted to an interview with city detectives. She said the details of that interview have not yet been made available for release.