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

Witness: Robbery attempt preceded fatal shooting

The victim of a fatal shooting early Tuesday at a North Monroe tattoo and drug paraphernalia shop was a teenager. Ceasar Medina, 17, suffered gunshot wounds to his neck and chest, according to the Spokane County Medical Examiner’s Office. The killer still is being sought and is described by police as a 5-foot-9 black man with curly hair and a thin build. Court documents filed Wednesday cite witnesses saying two men entered the store armed with guns. A scuffle ensued, during which an employee threw an empty wine bottle at one of the armed men, according to court records. Several shots were fired, and Medina was struck by at least one bullet, according to witnesses. Spokane Police were called to Northwest Accessories, 3400 N. Monroe St., shortly after midnight. The victim had been loaded into a car by employees who reportedly were trying to get him to the hospital. Police had received a call of suspicious circumstances at the business a few hours before the shooting, according to court records. At 9:30 p.m., a neighbor reported hearing a loud banging noise inside the business, followed by several people exiting and “throwing items” at an SUV as it drove away. One of the men inside the business told investigators he was having a dispute with a girlfriend and she’d damaged his car earlier in the evening, according to court records. Investigators say the manager of the property, Ruben Flores, is a suspected gang member with ties to a group out of Moses Lake. Flores was present during the shooting and opened the back door of the business for a friend when the two armed men forced their way in, he told police. Medina died after officers attempted life-saving measures, according to a news release. He is the fifth homicide victim in Spokane this year, according to Spokesman-Review records. A woman who identified herself as Medina’s aunt said on Facebook that the teen was watching the store overnight when an attempted robbery took place. Friends said he had gone to high school in Moses Lake and went by the nickname “Fat Boy.” Police have not released any details about the events that led to the shooting. They said Tuesday that Medina was in a car with two other people who were questioned and released. Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call Crime Check at (509) 456-2233.