In brief: Man shot by ISP trooper near Lookout Pass ID’d

The man shot by an Idaho State Police trooper on Interstate 90 near Lookout Pass on Wednesday has been identified.

Alexander L. Mandarino, 26, of Whitefish, Mont., was shot and killed during a struggle over a gun, the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office reported Thursday.

An autopsy was performed Thursday but the results are not yet available, a news release said. Toxicology reports will not be available for six to eight weeks.

A Shoshone County sheriff’s deputy responded around noon on Wednesday to check the welfare of a motorist parked in an eastbound turnout about two miles west of the Idaho/Montana border. An ISP trooper stopped to assist.

The occupant of the car, later identified as Mandarino, was found to have a handgun. A struggle ensued, and the ISP trooper fired his service weapon, striking Mandarino, the release said.

Mandarino was taken to Shoshone Medical Center, where he was declared dead.

Anyone who witnessed the incident is asked to contact the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office, which is leading the investigation, at (208) 446-1300.

Woman arrested after pepper spray incident

Police say a woman used pepper spray on two Rite-Aid employees during a shoplifting- turned-robbery Thursday morning.

Detective Lydia Taylor said the woman, later identified as Katie Hoehn, 27, went behind a counter at the Rite Aid at 5520 N. Division St. around 9:30 a.m. and tried to steal about eight packs of cigarettes.

When two store employees confronted her, Taylor said, Hoehn sprayed them with pepper spray.

The woman fled the store but was later tracked to her residence and arrested on charges of second-degree robbery.

The store employees were not seriously injured.

SCRAPS to hold 2-day cat adoption promotion

The Spokane Regional Animal Protection Service is holding an adoption event after taking in a near-record number of cats this month.

So far this month, SCRAPS has taken in 103 cats, completely filling the cat portion of the shelter. The organization took in 63 cats all of last month, which was considered high, a SCRAPS news release said.

The two-day adoption promotion will be today and Saturday from noon to 5:30 p.m. at the shelter at 2521 N. Flora Road, Spokane Valley.

Each cat will cost only $15 to adopt, the cost of the licensing fee. Vaccinations, spaying and neutering and microchipping will be free.