Police get videotape of shooting

Spokane Police detectives love Christmas gifts, especially when the present results in a videotape that was recorded at the same time a rival gang decides to shoot a member of another gang two hours into the new year.

This weekend, someone handed over a copy of the tape that apparently captured the shooting outside of Crazy 8’s bar that killed a 24-year-old gang member from Arkansas, Sgt. Joe Peterson said.

Six of eight suspects appeared in court Monday following their Saturday morning arrest at a duplex at 2823 E. Nebraska. Court Commissioner Randy Brandt ordered all of them to remain in jail on bonds that ranged from $300,000 to $1 million.

The man who captured the shooting on film had nothing to do with the confrontation outside the bar at 21 E. Lincoln, Peterson said.

“I know the circumstances of the filming,” Peterson said. “He got this camera for Christmas. He has a buddy stationed in Iraq and was going to film New Year’s Eve to send it to him. This occurred when he was filming.”

Asked if it shows the entire incident, Peterson replied: “It does. It’s a big boon to us.”

Police said 18-year-old Demetrius Route, 18, fired the shot that hit 24-year-old Calvin Banks in the heart. Route was charged with second-degree murder, first-degree assault and riot. Brandt ordered Route held on a $1 million bond.

Charged with conspiracy to commit first-degree assault were 18-year-old Christopher J. Route, 18-year-old Cedric Burton, 19-year-old Eric Burton, and 19-year-old Edward L. Thomas. Brandt ordered each held on $500,000 bonds except for Christopher Route, who received a $750,000 bond.

Detectives continue to search for 17-year-old Deric Burton – who previously was identified as the shooter – and 21-year-old Marcus L. Jacquette.

“They conspired to go assault Calvin Banks with a weapon,” Peterson said. “Multiple people were there with weapons. One guy did the shooting.”

The final suspect, 21-year-old Crystal Bumpas, was charged with first-degree rendering criminal assistance after she helped hide the gang members in her home on East Nebraska, Peterson said. Brandt ordered Bumpas held on a $300,000 bond.

The five male suspects, whom police say are associated with a gang from Compton, Calif., said they have been in Spokane anywhere from a few days to about a year. Each told Brandt they were unemployed or had never worked. When he asked how they supported themselves, Bumpas and four of the five male suspects answered: “Family.”

Peterson said all of the suspects had money but no jobs.

“Where do they get that money? We cannot show any legal method they were obtaining that money,” he said. “I’ll leave it up to the citizens to decide what they are doing up here from Compton.”

Deputy Chief Al Odenthal said department officials will never tolerate gang members or other persons coming to Spokane to commit crime.

“If you are going to come here, we are coming after you … and we’re not going to stop,” Odenthal said. “This is what you are going to face.”

Peterson commended the tireless work of detectives Minde Connelly, Marty Hill and Spokane County Sheriff’s gang investigator Brad Richmond for solving a case in which many witnesses refused to cooperate.

“They just did a superb job, as usual,” Peterson said.

The videotape also helped.

“What I have seen of it, it’s going to be quite valuable to us,” Peterson said. “I very much appreciate the anonymous person who delivered it to me.”