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

Two home-invasion robberies reported

A man was shot in the leg late Tuesday in what Spokane police are investigating as a possible home-invasion robbery.

The 11 p.m. shooting in the 900 block of East Providence Avenue occurred about an hour before another possible home robbery in south Spokane County.

In that case, intruders entered a home in the 4400 block of East 46th Avenue when residents were there.

Craig Chamberlin, spokesman for the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office, said the investigation is in its early stages. Detectives were still trying to determine if there was a connection between the victims and the suspects, which a Spokane Police Department spokeswoman said is common in home-invasion robberies.

“Most of the ones that we respond to tend to be something to do with drugs, and the victims somehow knew the suspects,” Officer Teresa Fuller said.

Fuller said the victim at the Providence Avenue home described the attackers as two men wearing dark clothing, but she had no further details. At least one other person was in the home when the intruders attacked. Fuller said someone other than the victim called 911.

Fuller said strangers being robbed in their own homes is “very, very rare.”

A robbery last week at a home in the Indian Trail area fits that description.

Police say at least three men entered a home in the 9600 block of North Alpine Court early May 22 and bound residents with zip ties before stealing electronics and other items. One victim reported being pistol-whipped. One victim said the robbers were targeting his Wii video game console, but another resident mentioned methamphetamine, according to court documents.

Suspects Joshua Clint Epperson, 32, Nathan W. Day, 21, and Nathan T. McDaniels, 28, remain in jail on burglary, robbery and assault charges.

Anyone with information on the most recent cases is asked to call Crime Check at (509) 456-2233.