Spokane man allegedly choked woman, threatened to stab her to death

A 54-year-old Spokane man allegedly choked a woman and threatened to kill her with a knife early Wednesday morning on the 900 block of East Indiana Avenue, according to a Spokane Police Department news release.

Daniel Murphy was arrested on suspicion of second-degree assault and unlawful imprisonment.

Officer Stephen Anderson, an SPD spokesman, said Murphy and the woman are “acquaintances.”

Emergency dispatchers received a call just after 3 a.m. from a woman stating she was assaulted and unsure where she was, the release said. The woman said she was with Murphy, who threatened to kill her with a knife earlier in the evening. She told dispatchers he was asleep but she was afraid he would wake up if she tried to leave.

Shortly after officers were on scene, she left the residence. She told officers Murphy choked her and threatened to kill her.

Because of the probable cause for felony assault and Murphy potentially being armed with a deadly weapon, officers surrounded the residence, and SWAT, a K-9 unit and hostage/crisis negotiators were requested.

Murphy came out of the residence and was taken into custody without further incident before specialized resources arrived.