Four people shot in West Central park; wounds not life-threatening

Three teens and a 40-year-old man were injured in a park shooting early Thursday morning in Spokane’s West Central neighborhood.

Officers responded shortly before 3 a.m. Thursday to Dutch Jake’s Park, on College Avenue, where they found one person shot, according to a Spokane Police Department news release. They provided aid until medical personnel arrived.

Three other people arrived at local hospitals with gunshot wounds, police said. None of the injuries was believed to be life-threatening.

Initial information indicated a large group of people were in the park at the time of the shooting, the release said.

Two neighbors said they heard at least six shots. Another, Logan Eckley, said he heard a “handful of shots.”

Therese Weyland, who lives next to the park, said she heard more than six shots and screaming before calling 911. Weyland said she thought the shots may have been firecrackers but decided to call 911 and report them.

“I didn’t get up,” she said. “I wasn’t going to be in the line of fire.”

Staci Rhodes said young people were drinking and partying at the park before she heard six or seven shots.

“I was surprised that it went so long,” she said of the gunfire.

Rhodes said she grabbed her gun and looked outside to see what was happening. She said she saw one person repeatedly check on a person who was on the ground.

Rhodes said people commonly party at the park early in the morning, and families use the park during the day.

Weyland, who has lived near the park for eight years, said she believes park violations and criminal activity declined since crews renovated it a few years ago. She said she feels safer in the neighborhood because of the renovations.

Weyland said she called Crime Check once or twice a month before the renovations, reporting fights, knife-throwing and people using the park after closing. Since the renovations, she’s called twice.