Argument led to north Spokane gunshot that nearly struck residents, court records say

A witness told police he heard a male scream, “I’m going to kill you,” before a bullet traveled into a north Spokane apartment complex, nearly striking occupants Wednesday, according to court documents.

The witness said he looked outside and saw a man, later identified as 26-year-old Takao R. Bay, get into a Toyota Corolla parked outside the North Colton Street apartment and drive away, court records said. He told police Bay returned with another male.

Police arrested Bay, a four-time convicted felon, on suspicion of three counts of second-degree assault, making false statements, unlawful possession of a firearm and reckless endangerment, court documents said.

Another witness told police she saw Bay in the apartment parking lot with another male. She said she then heard what sounded like a gunshot and feared she would be shot.

She said in documents that Bay then went inside one of the apartment units and the other male left the parking lot on foot. The woman told police she went inside her apartment and could hear a male and female arguing in the apartment Bay entered.

She then went back outside to get her groceries and saw Bay standing by himself in the parking lot with a black gun in his hand, court records said.

A man and a woman told police they were in bed at the apartment complex when they heard the gunshot. A hole in the wall, believed to be from the bullet, of their apartment unit was about 3 feet above where the man’s head would have been while seated in bed. The hole was about 5 feet from where the woman would have been sleeping, court records said. The woman told police she heard something hit their metal shelving in the apartment.

Police found a 9 mm bullet inside that apartment unit and a 9 mm shell casing in the parking lot outside the apartment Bay entered.

There were no injuries.

Bay made his first court appearance Thursday and was not listed in the Spokane County Jail Friday. He is scheduled for an arraignment Dec. 20.