Spokane7
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March 26, 2010 in City
Man killed in police shootout identified
Felony convictions prohibited White, 46, from possessing firearms
Spokane police and Spokane County sheriff’s deputies block off the scene of an officer-involved shooting in the 4100 block of East 36th Avenue in southeast Spokane on Friday, March 26, 2010. A man who fired on police was shot and later died.
(Full-size photo)(All photos)
A shootout with police early Friday killed a Spokane man who investigators say threatened family in a dispute over firearms.
Todd E. White, 46, died after Spokane police officers returned gunfire in front of the southeast Spokane home of White’s sister, Heidi Paul, and brother-in-law, Gary Paul.
Police were responding to a report that White was stalking the Pauls at 4127 E. 36th Ave. when White fired shots at an officer who retreated, then returned fire, said Sgt. Dave Reagan of the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office.
No officers were injured.
White had a warrant for his arrest out of Clark County for violating the terms of felony convictions from 2001, 1995 and 1993. Details of those convictions were not available late Friday, but felons are prohibited from possessing firearms.
The sheriff’s office is investigating the shooting with the police department. The names of the officers involved won’t be released for at least three days. All of have been placed on paid leave, which is customary in officer-involved shootings.
Police were first called to the home at 6:01 a.m. by Gary Paul, who said he’d had trouble with White in the past, Reagan said. Police reported gunfire at 6:29 a.m.
A relative recently died, and “there was a dispute over some guns that had been inherited,” Reagan said. A neighbor who knew of the dispute called the Pauls on Friday morning to tell them that White was outside the home with a gun, according to the sheriff’s office. Witnesses reported hearing three or four shots, then a pause, then three or four more shots.
White collapsed in the front yard of the Pauls’ home, where he was treated by paramedics before being taken to a Spokane hospital. He was pronounced dead about 8 a.m.
Meanwhile, law enforcement from across the county had converged in the area of 36th Avenue and Cuba Street.
The call was a code 99 – the highest-level emergency.
“Ninety-nine means ‘I’m in life-threatening danger; I need help,’ and when that happens, everyone goes,” Reagan said.
Streets were blocked until about 4 p.m.
“It was mayhem,” said a man who lives a few houses from the shooting and asked that his name not be used. “This is a quiet neighborhood. At night, you can hear a pin drop.”
Human trafficking suspects released 
D Statler on March 26 at 9:02 a.m.
Kinda sounds like they did the job right this time.We do have some very good peace officers on our forces.Thanks to them for doing it the RIGHT way! Glad none of them were injured.
Not_woriking on March 26 at 9:03 a.m.
Got Zehm-ed.
terrymr on March 26 at 9:14 a.m.
I’m not sure the word victim is being used appropriately here. It left me confused as to whether it was the complainant or the brother-in-law that was killed.
misjustice on March 26 at 9:34 a.m.
Kudos to the officers that responded to a tragic situtation and kept the family that was being threatened safe. I don’t believe that comparing this incident to Mr. Zhem’s case is a fair analogy…
lewis8457 on March 26 at 9:36 a.m.
Anybody who thinks killing someone is good is beyond help in my book. And sad to think if a person is a republican he can be killed, for his political beliefs while the killer can have their own beliefs with out harm coming to them. Hate is a double edged sword so be careful, you might end being the one cut.
To the officers good job thank you for not getting hurt and keeping the neighborhood safe.
I only wish you were taught to take out the threat by hitting a limb or something not as deadly.
andrewz on March 26 at 9:37 a.m.
@Terry MR: You’re right, that did get a bit muddled. I’ve made a couple changes to clear it up. Thanks for the feedback.
misjustice on March 26 at 9:58 a.m.
Lewis… . Huh, what? Where does it say any one was a Republican? Am I missing something here? What does being a Republican or Democrat or even an Independent have to do with this article?
Plus, your wish to take out a threat by hitting a limb or something? If someone is shooting at me, I can assure you I wouldn’t be looking to shoot him/her in the foot. You’ve been watching way to many cowboy movies!
Kudo’s to the officers that responded to this tragic event. I don’t blame them for wanting to go home at the end of their shift!
A COP is someone who at one point in their life wrote a blank check made payable to ‘The People That We Serve and Protect’, for an amount ‘up to, and including their life’. That is honor, and there are way too many people in this country today who no longer understand that fact!
misjustice on March 26 at 10:06 a.m.
@gramma, I think that post was removed from the thread; and rightly so…
andrewz on March 26 at 10:17 a.m.
Just to clear things up, a comment about Republicans was removed from this thread because it was in poor taste and clearly violated forum standards and guidelines.
joshter4 on March 26 at 10:20 a.m.
I agree with you on all points Gramma, we may not agree or always like the way the police department handles things but no one always knows or sees the entire picture. As for Lewis, what planet is he on today!?
joshter4 on March 26 at 10:23 a.m.
O K so Lewis was right, we did not see that comment, everyone is entitled to their opinion, I still agree with Gramma
lewis8457 on March 26 at 11:20 a.m.
Well thank you joshter4 for judging me on a comment I responded to that you did not see.
I was simply saying to think one class of people can be considered expendable is not a good way to think.
As usual gramma has to throw arrows to make herself feel righteous.
misjustice on March 26 at 11:28 a.m.
Hang in there Lewis, some of us on the blog understand your intent and applaud you for it. It can get kinda rough up in here…I know from personal experience.
And the site was correct in quickly removing the post instead of letting it stay up for most of the day, even if it made other’s responses to it seem to be out of context.
Not_woriking on March 26 at 11:46 a.m.
So a Taser was not of the increased force protocal?
Its time we put cams on all the cops. Well that might just get in the way of a nice baton.
flutieflakes on March 26 at 11:52 a.m.
Shooting at cops = bad life choice. They almost always have more guns.
mikeln on March 26 at 11:52 a.m.
A lot of comments from people who do not know what really went on. Wish I was that smart.
misjustice on March 26 at 1:58 p.m.
Dear notworiking, I’m not sure what you mean…by your repeated attempts to connect this story to Mr. Zhem????
The officers here used deadly force after the suspect fired on them, and after he’d threatened a family by standing outside their home with a loaded weapon.
ARMageddon on March 26 at 3:00 p.m.
You can’t shoot at cops, period. You will probably die. I have zero sympathy for a creep that lurks around a neighborhood with a gun in the wee hours.
Ron_the_Cop on March 26 at 4:17 p.m.
If the facts pan out as reported, I’m sorry if you fire at cops you can expect return fire. Re tasers - not appropriate when someone is firing live rounds at you as per use of force continuum.
Not_woriking on March 26 at 4:18 p.m.
All speculation.
misjustice on March 26 at 4:25 p.m.
I wasn’t being righteous. You slammed a political stand and this story has nothing to do with politics. You now say you were simply saying to think one class of people can be considered expendable is not a good way to think. If that is the case, then why didn’t you state it this way in the first place.
This story also has nothing to do with a specific class of people. This is a story about a man standing in the dark, threatening a family and then shooting at police officers. Tell me where that is picking on a “class” of people.
I also want to know who would use a taser on a person that has a gun? The person holding that taser must be within a specific range to fire it for the prongs to attach to the victim. A bullet goes a lot further than the prongs of a taser. I believe I too would not use a taser.
misjustice on March 26 at 4:43 p.m.
Gramma,,,,chill. Lewis was responding to a post that was pulled by the monitor of this site,,,he said it’s NOT a good way to think. Geeze,,,some of the comments seem out of context because of the thread that was removed,,,That’s okay, we’ll wait for you to catch up.
Scoutster on March 26 at 5:28 p.m.
Andrew…
I’m glad to hear there are standards here.
Let’s enforce them more!
leekinny on March 26 at 5:29 p.m.
Yea, I was ready to jump on Lewis because the comment seemed so bizarre and put politics in where it didn’t belong. I’m glad I read the other comments first, especially from misjustice.
This happened in my neighborhood, in the next block. The TV people were saying it was his parents this morning. It seems it was his brother-in-law from here.
It’s sad all the way around. Sorrow and compassion for the family is on top, but, that many police cars, the reason for them being there and the result does create an uneasy feeling.
Too many, guns in the hands of many who are, too, dangerous and irresponsible to own a slingshot.
spokanecommunistparty on March 26 at 8:00 p.m.
Wow what a strange story, no other newspaper has this many details.
misjustice on March 26 at 10:30 p.m.
Just saying I read his posting before it was deleted. Not appropriate nor relevant to this article.
Mr_Bloggy on March 26 at 11:09 p.m.
If the facts are as reported, sounds like a righteous shoot. Problem is the SPD has a history of lying in such cases. Maybe Karl Thompson parked in PC in a out of state prison will allow some healing and trust again. Maybe not.
D Statler on March 27 at 9:56 a.m.
I can definately understand how a neighbor might feel. Seeing a hundred cops armed to the hilt storming the neighborhood.The use of overwhelming force can be a great deterrent to more violence.I think I would be running for the fruit cellar or a kevlar vest if it was going on in my neighborhood.There are definatly too many cops that have shown worse than poor judgement lately.Once again, I thank our PEACE OFFICERS for using good judgment and representing Spokane with honesty and integrity :^)
lewis8457 on March 27 at 3:49 p.m.
I was going to jump on Lewis too?
Why are you the blog police if you don’t like a comment just don’t read it starting fights on here only stops communication. Gramma you missed the real point I actually commended the police for doing a good job.
And if you did see the post like you said then you do agree with the pulled post some people can be exterminated, and that is OK? You said my post was not appropriate so if i cant comment on another’s post how is OK for you to?
Andrew in the future if you pull a post pull all the ones that correspond to it. That way a person is not bashed by other bloggers that don’t know the whole story.
misjustice on March 28 at 9:08 a.m.
That is a good suggestion, Lewis.
I had a similar problem on a different story; one of my posts responding to an attack was left up after the others were pulled, then I got attacked for a post that was out of context and seemed to come from nowhere…still getting ppl foaming at the mouth…
tardwhisperer on March 31 at 7:23 a.m.
Hey not_woriking…take some of your Obama money and buy a spell guide…you are an idiot. Take 911 out of your phone…when somebody shoots at ya…call your mommy.