Shotgun fired in holdup bid

Spokane police are investigating the shotgun shooting of a gang affiliate who survived the attack and was listed in satisfactory condition Sunday afternoon.

The 22-year-old man, whom police declined to identify, was the victim of an attempted drug robbery at 3 a.m. Saturday in an upstairs apartment at 6901 N. Wiscomb.

Police Sgt. Joe Peterson said at least one man wielding a shotgun tried to force his way into the apartment.

After a brief struggle stymied the break-in, the gunman fired through the door and hit the victim in the abdomen. Because the victim had turned sideways, Peterson said, buckshot cleanly entered and exited his body rather than striking organs and killing or seriously wounding him.

“He was lucky,” Peterson said after a Sunday afternoon news conference.

The apartment is rented by a 19-year-old woman, who now is staying with her parents in Spokane.

She and the victim said they did not get a good look at the gunman; however, police are searching for a small dark-colored sport utility vehicle that a witness saw speeding from the scene.

Police reached the apartment within two minutes after the shooting had been reported but did not find the SUV.

The victim, a Spokane man with parents in the area, has a criminal record several pages long. Police spokesman Dick Cottam described him as a gang member whom “police are very familiar with.”

Peterson indicated that police may pursue drug charges against the victim and perhaps the woman after finding a substantial amount of cocaine in the apartment.

No weapons were found.

However, solving the shooting is the first priority.

“Somebody is out there with a shotgun and willing to shoot someone,” Peterson said.