Deadly East Central shooting a mystery

A man died after suffering a gunshot wound Saturday afternoon in a car in the East Central Neighborhood. The car was found stopped in a driving lane of Fifth Avenue.

A police officer in the area on another call at about 3:30 p.m. noticed the stopped westbound car just east of Magnolia Street and found the man unresponsive, said Capt. Craig Meidl. The officer soon discovered a gunshot wound in the man’s abdomen, called for backup and attempted CPR.

The victim was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police were confused by the unusual circumstances, and officers combed the neighborhood and knocked on doors to interview potential witnesses.

Keith Rich, who lives nearby, said that after police arrived an officer asked him if he heard a gunshot or recognized the car.

“I didn’t hear a gunshot – I heard the tires screech,” said Rich, who said he was working in his backyard at the time.

Rich said he saw a blue truck driving westbound in reverse in the eastbound lane a few minutes after he heard the sound of screeching tires. By the time he made his way through his house into the front yard police had arrived. Rich saw the officer working to resuscitate the man, who had been pulled from the car and was on the pavement.

Meidl said police do not believe there is a threat to the community. Officers were uncertain if anyone was in the car with the victim when the shooting occurred.

“We did recover a handgun in the vehicle,” he said.

The officer who discovered the man and performed CPR was not wearing a body camera, Meidl said.

Fifth Avenue is an arterial and Spokane Transit Authority bus route. The street was closed for several hours and buses were rerouted.

Police have identified the shooting victim and were working late Saturday to inform his family members before releasing his name, said Spokane police Officer Benjamin Green.