Spokane deputies arrest suspect threatening to jump off a cliff

Deputies arrested a domestic violence suspect armed with a knife Tuesday after he threatened to either jump off a cliff or force deputies to shoot him.

Deputies were notified that 41-year-old Benjamin D. Gheorghiu had repeatedly violated a no-contact order by texting the woman protected by the order, according to a Spokane County Sheriff’s Office news release. After deputies attempted to contact him by phone Tuesday, Gheorghiu showed up at the woman’s home while armed with a knife. He was gone when deputies arrived.

His car was located around 4:45 p.m. at the Minnehaha climbing rocks at 5626 E. Upriver Drive. A witness said Gheorghiu was on top of the climbing rock wall threatening to jump if police arrived, the news release said.

Gheorghiu reportedly told negotiators that deputies would have to shoot him or he would jump, but he began walking toward the parking lot around 6 p.m. He refused to follow the commands of deputies and was shot with a less-lethal bean bag round, the news release said. He was arrested after a brief struggle.

After Gheorghiu was treated at a local hospital, he was booked into the Spokane County Jail on six counts of violating a protection order.