Man stabbed as he surprises burglar in North Spokane

A man who surprised a burglar in his garage suffered minor injuries Tuesday evening when the thief stabbed the resident with a tool, the victim’s long time girlfriend said. Spokane Police Officer Brian Eckersley said the break-in occurred at 228 E. Empire Ave., about 6:30 p.m. Quiana Thompson said her boyfriend, Lee Allen, noticed as the family pulled into the driveway that a lock on the family’s garage was broken. She added that Allen confronted a man in the garage, who responded: “You don’t want to mess with me.” “He lunged toward (Allen) and stabbed him” with a tool, possibly a screwdriver, Thompson said. Allen told his girlfriend to get their kids inside and call the police. The burglar ran out of the garage and Allen chased him down an alley, but apparently didn’t catch up to him, Thompson said. Police located Allen and drove him to Holy Family Hospital for stitches for a puncture wound on his forearm. Eckersley said the burglar was last seen near Walton Avenue and Lidgerwood Street. He was described as white or Hispanic, 6-foot, in his late 30s with a medium build. Thompson said she, Allen and their children moved to the home last month. “It’s like welcome to the neighborhood,” she said.