Police seek robbery witnesses

Spokane police appealed Wednesday for people who witnessed the robbery last Thursday of a Japanese exchange student to come forward.

Officer Jennifer DeRuwe said detectives in the Major Crimes Unit need to hear from three witnesses who left the crime scene near the Shadle Park Wal-Mart store before police arrived.

The robbery occurred about 6:20 p.m. at a bus stop across Wellesley Avenue from the Wal-Mart, police said. Two men – one white, one black – approached four young women who were waiting for a bus and snatched a shoulder bag from one of them, according to police. The women were students at Mukogawa Fort Wright Institute.

Two men in what appeared to be a white construction company van saw the robbery and followed one of the robbers to a nearby house, police said.

They gave the address of the house to the victims but didn’t identify themselves, DeRuwe said.

Also, she said, a teenage boy witnessed the robbery but left before police arrived.

DeRuwe asked those witnesses and anyone else who saw the robbery to call (509) 622-6489.

– John Craig

Two street closures planned

Post Street will be closed today between First and Second avenues in downtown Spokane.

The closure will last from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. to facilitate work on the Davenport Hotel tower.

That work was originally scheduled for Wednesday but was postponed.

This weekend, one block of Cannon Street will be closed in Browne’s Addition for a street party.

The closure between First and Pacific avenues will begin at 6 a.m. Friday, and the street will reopen at 8 p.m. Sunday.

Elk Fest will feature food, music and other activities.

– From staff reports