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

Woman fights off late-night attacker near TJ Meenach Bridge

Joggers pass over the T.J. Meenach Bridge. A woman fought off an attacker who held her at gunpoint near the bridge early Sunday morning. (Jesse Tinsley / The Spokesman-Review)
From staff reports

A woman successfully fought off a man who accosted her and held her a gunpoint near the TJ Meenach Bridge early Sunday morning, according to police.

Just before 2:30 a.m., the Spokane Police Department received a 911 call from the woman, who said a man had confronted and followed her as she was walking home, despite her protests. At some point he produced a gun, and training it on her, attempted to “drag her to a secluded location,” according to an SPD news release.

The woman resisted, however, and in the ensuing struggle was able to escape and call for help.

Officers arrived within minutes, and located a suspect matching the woman’s description. The man “moved his hands several times towards one of his pockets, ignoring repeated commands to keep his hands visible,” according to the release. However, he ultimately complied and was detained, and officers recovered a realistic-looking replica firearm from the part of his clothing he had been reaching toward.

The suspect, Atif S. Ado, 28, was arrested and booked into jail on charges of first-degree kidnapping, a Class A felony.