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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Fatal officer-involved shootings in Spokane during 2017

Law enforcement officers stand near the body of Chad Cochell, who was shot and killed by police in the Shadle Walmart parking lot on Oct. 4, 2017. (Colin Mulvany / The Spokesman-Review)
From staff reports

Here’s a brief overview all fatal officer-involved shootings in the city of Spokane and Spokane County in 2017:

Dexter Dumarce – Jan. 15

1501 W. Fifth Ave.

Dexter Dumarce, 33, was shot after leading police on a foot chase through the lower South Hill. With a knife drawn, the suspected car robber was running toward traffic stopped at Fifth Avenue and Walnut Street. Police attempted to shock him with a Taser several times. Prosecutors ruled the shooting justified.

Dean Bellamy – March 6

18718 N. Leslie Lane in Colbert

Dean Bellamy, 47, was killed in his Colbert home by Spokane County Sheriff’s deputies responding to a domestic violence call. Bellamy got into a shootout with deputies and was hit several times. Prosecutors ruled the shooting justified.

Daniel Craven – July 3

5920 S. Mount Vernon St.

Daniel Craven, 53, was shot and killed just south of Spokane, where police and sheriff’s deputies were called early in the morning to reports of shots fired. Craven was killed several houses down from his ex-girlfriend’s home.

The woman apparently had called police several times and made reports of Craven stalking her. A gun was found near his body. Prosecutors ruled the shooting justified.

Chad Cochell – Oct. 4

2301 W. Wellesley Ave.

Chad Cochell, 34, was shot by officers after refusing to exit his vehicle in the parking lot of Walmart in the Shadle Center. Cochell was suspected of shooting a man twice during a carjacking hours earlier. He had a gun and refused commands to get out of his vehicle when police fired. Prosecutors ruled the shooting justified.

James Danforth – Nov. 28

2934 E. Rowan Ave.

James Danforth, 59, was shot and killed by two Spokane police officers after he allegedly opened fire at them while they were responding to a domestic violence incident in Hillyard. Danforth was shot multiple times. His death is under investigation.

Joshua Spottedhorse –

Dec. 26

1103 W. Sharp Ave.

Joshua Spottedhorse, 36, was killed by police after reportedly leading them on a foot chase in north Spokane. Information is limited, but police say Spottedhorse robbed a Safeway store at 1616 W. Northwest Blvd., at gunpoint and fled.

He was located hours later at a home at Sharp Avenue and Madison Street in West Central, where he was chased by police and shot. His death is under investigation.