In brief: Officers won’t face charges in shooting

Charges won’t be filed against the six deputies who shot and killed a despondent veteran near the Spokane Valley Mall in February.

Jed Zillmer, 23, led multiple law enforcement agencies on a chase Feb. 11 along Interstate 90. He called dispatchers to say he was armed and wanted to be killed by police.

Deputies Brian Hirzel, Jeff Thurman, Dale Moyer, Ryan Walter, Brett Hubbell and Randy Watts fired at Zillmer.

“Mr. Zillmer was heavily armed, wearing a bullet-proof vest, and repeatedly stated that he wanted to engage law enforcement and force them to shoot him,” Spokane County Deputy Prosecutor Jack Driscoll wrote in his analysis of the case released Friday.

Zillmer was an Army sniper in Afghanistan and earned a Purple Heart during a battle in February 2011, according to a lawsuit he filed with other veterans who claimed they were denied health benefits upon returning home.

Kip Hill

July heat wave nearly sets record in Spokane

July was the second hottest month on record in Spokane.

The average temperature was 75.7 degrees. That’s just under the hottest month ever in Spokane, July 1906, which had an average temperature of 75.9 degrees, National Weather Service meteorologist Jeffrey Cote said.

There were 18 days last month during which the temperature hit 90 degrees or more. Spokane, on average, only has 18 days a year with 90-degree temperatures.

The previous second-hottest month on record was July 2007, which averaged 75.6 degrees.

Jonathan Brunt

Blue-green algae force Hayden Lake advisory

A health advisory for blue-green algae was issued Friday for the northeastern end of Hayden Lake near the sportsman’s access.

People should avoid swimming in or drinking water from the lake where the algae is visible as surface scum, according to the Panhandle Health District and the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality.

The toxins produced by the algae cannot be removed by filtering the water. They cause gastroenteritis, skin irritation, allergic responses, liver damage and other health problems. Children and pets are particularly susceptible.

People who want to eat fish from the lake should remove all fat, skin and organs before cooking. Blooms occur in waters with high levels of nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen.

Becky Kramer