Charges dropped against west Spokane shooting suspect

The suspect in a west Spokane shooting that left one person dead has been released from jail after the second-degree murder charges filed against him were dropped.

A Spokane County prosecutor said that charges against Tyler Clark, 24, have been “dismissed without prejudice pending further investigation,” meaning murder charges could be filed in the future.

Clark was under suspicion of shooting and killing Emmitt D. Palmer, his 22-year-old roommate and former boyfriend of Clark’s sister. The two got into an argument that turned physical on June 5 after Clark’s sister asked him to retrieve some items from her room. She and Palmer also had been arguing at the time.

When police arrived, they interviewed Clark, who admitted to shooting Palmer in the head, according to court documents.

Clark was released from Spokane County Jail on July 3, more than a month after his first court appearance in district court. In cases like this that require more investigation, prosecutors will often file charges in district court first, giving them 30 days to file charges in superior court while the suspect remains in custody.

In Clark’s case, the prosecutor’s office never filed anything in superior court. Spokane County Prosecutor Larry Haskell said prosecutors felt there was “more investigation necessary.”