Siblings arrested in downtown Spokane bar district shooting charged with attempted murder

The Spokane County Prosecutor’s Office lodged more serious criminal charges against the brother and sister accused of shooting two people in Spokane’s downtown bar district Saturday night after a fight with another group of people.

Destiny H. Tensley, 24, who police believed fired the gun, and her brother, Emmanuel E. Tensley, 20, the suspected driver of their vehicle, were initially charged with two counts of first-degree assault and released from Spokane County Jail.

They now both face charges of conspiracy to commit murder, attempted murder and drive-by shooting.

The victims told investigators they were at Lucky’s Bar when the Tensleys parked their car across the street and Destiny Tensley exited the vehicle with a handgun, according to court records.

One victim said Destiny Tensley fired a handgun three or four times, striking her in the leg, according to court records. The other victim said she saw Destiny fire four or five shots, one of which struck her in the arm.

Multiple witnesses told police Emmanuel Tensley also fired a gun.

Witnesses and victims reported Destiny Tensley had threatened to shoot and kill one of the victims prior to the incident, according to court records. People said there was a large fight that started between one of the victim’s girlfriends and Destiny Tensley in the Lucky’s parking lot earlier in the evening.

Another person said Destiny Tensley was attacked during the earlier fight and returned to Lucky’s Bar to locate missing belongings, court records say. She said Destiny Tensley fired her gun when she was pepper-sprayed outside the bar.

Destiny Tensley reported that earlier that night one of the victims threatened to kill her and reached toward her waistband like she was accessing a gun, according to court records. She said she is dating that victim’s ex-girlfriend.

Destiny Tensley said that victim pointed a gun at a friend during the initial fight at Lucky’s Bar, according to court records. She said when she returned for missing jewelry and opened her car door she was pepper sprayed.

She said she fired her gun because she couldn’t see and felt threatened, according to court records.

A Spokane Police sergeant said he witnessed an argument between the Tensleys and three to four other women near the Lucky’s Bar parking lot just before 1 a.m. Sunday, according to court records. The officer reported hearing three to four gunshots while observing and assessing the situation.

The officer stopped a car trying to leave the scene, according to court records. Emmanuel Tensley was driving with Destiny Tensley and two others as passengers.

A detective said swelling on Destiny Tensley’s face was consistent with being pepper sprayed, according to court records. The detective said she also had injuries on her face and wrist and reported that Emmanuel Tensley had minor injuries to his face.

The Tensleys’ defense attorneys said they have never been convicted of a crime and were acting in self-defense.

The victims of the shooting declined to comment on the case outside court Tuesday.

Both Tensleys were booked into Spokane County Jail on Tuesday on bonds of $50,000. They each have another hearing on Nov. 12.