Police Say Woman ‘Of Interest’ To Bombing Probe

Authorities want to question a woman who may be tied to recent bombings and bank robberies in the Spokane Valley, investigators said Monday.

The woman was briefly inside a U.S. Bank branch July 11, the day before it was robbed, police Lt. Al Odenthal said.

A woman of a similar description was seen outside the same bank branch at the time of the robbery, Odenthal said.

“She asked some unusual questions of bank employees,” Odenthal told KREM-TV.

“She is at least of interest to the investigation,” he said.

Authorities were unsure if the woman was linked to the robbery.

The woman, whose identity was unknown, appeared to be in her mid-20s, with long blond hair, blue eyes and tattoos covering both forearms, Odenthal said.

Investigators believe the same people are responsible for both robberies, as well as the pipe bombs that apparently were set off as diversions.

Someone detonated a pipe bomb at the Valley office of The Spokesman-Review minutes before the first robbery. The robbers detonated a pipe bomb at the bank as they left.

The second robbery was preceded by a pipe bomb explosion at a Planned Parenthood office in the Spokane Valley. Both bank robberies were carried out by at least four masked gunmen dressed in camouflage and carrying assault rifles and shotguns.

No one was hurt; no arrests have been made.

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