Officers who shot at wanted man named

The Spokane Police Department on Monday named five officers who fired on a wanted felon Friday as he drove his vehicle at them near Eloika Lake.

Shawn A. Barton, a career criminal, allegedly tried to run over several members of the Spokane Police Department’s SWAT team early Friday as they tried to apprehend him on several arrest warrants.

The officers named are: Detective Randy Lesser, 22 years with the department; Detective Jeff Harvey, 21 years with the department; Senior Police Officer Jamie Pavlischak, 14 years with the department; Police Officer First Class Eric Kannberg, 17 years with the department; and Officer Beau Brannon, four years with the department.

All are on paid administrative leave as is departmental policy for officer-involved shootings.

The SWAT team had the home at 42803 Big Foot Lane under surveillance when Barton returned about 5:30 a.m. and reportedly attempted to run down the officers with the 1994 Geo Prism he was driving.

The officers then shot at Barton, hitting him in the arm and hip.

He is hospitalized in stable condition, and is under guard to prevent him from escaping, said Spokane County Sheriff’s Detective Dave Thornburg.

The Sheriff’s Department is investigating the incident, in keeping with Spokane Police procedures for officer-involved shootings.

Friday’s shooting is the third time in the past two months that crime suspects have been shot by on-duty Spokane police officers.

Barton, 35, has a lengthy criminal record – one that had reached 48 convictions by age 30.

He was most recently wanted on felony warrants for escaping from community custody and attempting to elude police as well as a misdemeanor warrant for driving with a suspended license.

Past convictions include possession of a controlled substance, possession of stolen property, residential burglary and vehicle thefts.