In brief: Three men arrested in 7-Eleven robbery
Three men were booked into Spokane County Jail early Sunday morning on charges of holding up a 7-Eleven store on Spokane’s South Hill.
Police say the three men – Joseph Taitano, 20; Aleksandr Ampleyev, 20; and Jorell Jones, 21 – took part in the armed robbery of the convenience store at 1317 S. Grand Blvd. around 2 a.m. Sunday.
A store clerk said two masked men entered the store with handguns and robbed him. They fled the scene in a purple minivan that had a third occupant, according to the victim’s report.
About 20 minutes after responding to the scene, a Spokane police officer spotted the van at a Cenex Zip Trip gas station at 57th Avenue and Regal Street. The police report said money and handguns were visible in the van.
Officers arrested the pair inside the van and took them to jail. While following the car towing the van to impound, police say they saw a third male who matched the description of the van occupant and took him into custody.
The report did not disclose how much cash was taken in the robbery.
Man arrested after gun fired at party
An early Sunday morning party in Spokane Valley led to the arrest of a man who authorities say fired a handgun during an altercation at a house near Mission Avenue and Progress Road.
Sheriff’s deputies said the shooting occurred before 6 a.m. during a fight outside a duplex where the party took place.
The sheriff’s report says two men fought over a handgun that one man pulled from his coat. A number of others at the scene wrestled the gunman to the ground. The gun discharged at least once but did not cause any injuries.
The gunman and one other person left the party. Sheriff’s deputies later tracked down the two men, arresting the man who witnesses said held the handgun during the fight.
Authorities have not released the name of the arrested man.
Deputies recover swimmer’s body
Stevens County deputies on Sunday recovered the body of a 21-year-old man who went missing in the Little Spokane River on Friday. The man was swimming in an area north of Long Lake in Stevens County.
The identity of the victim was withheld until officials could contact family members.
Crews recovered the body under 10 feet of water around 2 p.m. Sunday near where the man was last seen swimming.
Stevens County sheriff’s deputies, the Stevens County Dive Team and Spokane Tribal Police took part in the search.