Deputy won’t face charges for shooting suicidal man in hand

Spokane County Sheriff’s Deputy Clay Hilton will not face criminal charges for shooting a suicidal and uncooperative man in the hand on Aug. 14.

The Spokane County Prosecutor’s Office determined Hilton’s force was justified.

Deputies were called to a duplex at 3222 S. Glenn Court around 2 a.m. to check on Justin Klauba, who was threatening to harm himself. Klauba was holding a gun when deputies arrived, according to the Sheriff’s Office, and was given multiple commands to drop it

Hilton advised Klauba to drop the gun or he was going to shoot Klauba.

“Go ahead. I don’t want to have to hurt you,” Klauba responded, according to a news release.

“Based on Klauba being suicidal and making an assaultive statement toward Deputy Hilton and out of concern for his own safety and that of Deputy Wakem and Tiffany Klauba, Deputy Hilton fired one time at the right hand of Klauba, causing him to lose grip on the gun and fall to the floor,” the Sheriff’s Office said in the news release.