Suspect In Shooting Held In County Jail

Thu., Aug. 20, 1998

From Staff Reports

A man suspected of shooting up his West Plains neighborhood with a rifle Tuesday night is in the Spokane County Jail, sheriff’s deputies said.

James Arthur Rapp, 30, was booked into jail on suspicion of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, deputies said Wednesday.

Witnesses said Rapp became agitated about 8 p.m. Tuesday after getting into an argument with a 15-year-old neighbor boy and the teenager’s mother. Deputies did not say what the argument was about.

After scuffling with the woman, Rapp went into his house, grabbed a gun and began firing at houses in the 7300 block of West 51st, witnesses said.

The shooting spree lasted for about an hour, deputies said.

Deputy Mark Smoldt finally ended it when he crashed through Rapp’s front door and tackled him.

Deputies estimated that Rapp fired 75 rounds from his .22-caliber rifle before he was arrested. No one was hurt.

Rapp has an extensive arrest record, including a recent felony conviction for car theft.

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