Suspected vehicle prowler shot by Stevens County sheriff’s deputy

A person suspected of numerous vehicle prowls in rural Stevens County was in serious condition in a Spokane hospital Saturday after being shot by a Stevens County sheriff’s deputy.

Events that led to the shooting were unclear Saturday evening. The incident began about 1:18 a.m. when the Sheriff’s Office received numerous reports of vehicle prowling in the area, according to police. A firearm was stolen from one of the vehicles. Police said deputies contacted the suspect on the 4300 block of East Deer Lake Road about 3 a.m. and shots were fired.

Officials did not disclose how many shots were fired, how many deputies were involved or who fired first.

The Spokane Investigative Regional Response Team, which includes detectives from the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office, Spokane Police Department and Washington State Patrol, was investigating.

The suspect’s name was being withheld Saturday, but the Deer Park Tribune identified him as 23-year-old Trinidy Lopez. The deputies’ names will be released later by the Stevens County Sheriff’s Office.

The weapon recovered from the suspect matches the description of the weapon taken from the car earlier.