Suspected Spokane Valley Walgreens shooter has 14 prior felony convictions

Detectives suspect 14-time convicted felon Robert Hensley, 32, of shooting a man in the chest in the parking lot of a Spokane Valley Walgreens Sunday, according to a Spokane County Sheriff’s Office news release.

Hensley had his first appearance in court Tuesday and faces charges of suspected first-degree assault and unlawful possession of a firearm, according to court documents.

Witnesses of the shooting gave deputies descriptions of an older white sedan, possibly a Toyota, fleeing the store at Pines Road and Sprague Avenue. When a police officer noticed a similar car a short time later, police found Hensley and a woman in the car.

Police who stopped the car saw what appeared to be a small-caliber rifle with a shortened stock and barrel on the passenger’s side floorboard of the car, the release said. Deputies have obtained a search warrant for the car, according to the release.

At the scene Sunday, the conscious victim declined to answer deputies’ questions.

The victim remains hospitalized in serious condition as of Tuesday afternoon, according to the release.

This is the second time the injured man has been the victim of a shooting. He did not cooperate with investigators when he was shot Dec. 8 at a home in the 2200 block of North Indian Bluff Road, the release said. That shooting and Sunday’s shooting are both under investigation.