Man who died at Spokane homeless encampment identified

The Spokane County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the man found dead Jan. 30 at a homeless encampment near Interstate 90 in Spokane as Jeffrey Brown, 53.

The office said on its website that the cause and manner of death are pending.

Emergency responders were called to the encampment at Second Avenue and Ray Street, Spokane Fire Chief Brian Schaeffer said at the time. Schaeffer said the man was in a tent and beyond resuscitation when responders arrived.

The encampment emerged after the city disbanded Camp Hope, a protest in which people built tents outside Spokane City Hall in a call for more shelter for homeless individuals. The land at Second Avenue and Ray Street is owned by the state Department of Transportation.