Spokane Police Department to investigate officer involved shooting

The Spokane Police Department is heading up the investigation into the officer involved shooting involving a Spokane County Sheriff’s deputy at a gas station at Barker Road and Cataldo Friday evening. A Liberty Lake police officer was involved in the incident but did not fire his weapon. His body camera is thought to have captured the incident. Liberty Lake Police Chief Brian Asmus said he has not yet seen the body camera footage because the camera was taken by Spokane Investigative Regional Response Team investigators. “They took his uniform, boots and gun,” Asmus said. “I had to bring him an extra set of clothes.” A K9 deputy did a traffic stop at the gas station around 8:30 p.m. The car had three people inside; two women and a male passenger, according to a Spokane Police Department press release. Preliminary information released at the scene by the Sheriff’s Office was that the man was the driver. Another deputy and a Liberty Lake police officer arrived as backup after the K9 deputy determined that the two women were wanted on warrants. The male passenger reportedly gave a false name to the K9 deputy, who told the man to get out of the car. When the man got out, he began running, the press release said. The K9 deputy, his dog and one of the backup officers gave chase. The K9 attacked the man, who turned and fired at his handler, said Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich Friday at the scene of the shooting. The K9 deputy returned fire and shot the suspect once. He is in stable condition at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center. The names of the suspect, the involved deputies and the Liberty Lake officer have not yet been released. None of the law enforcement officers were injured.