Group was partying before shooting at Franklin Park that left one dead
A group of young people were partying in Franklin Park before a deadly shooting in late August, according to court records tied to the arrest of five people . One person died and three others were injured.
Two groups had been drinking in the north Spokane park when officers responded to the shooting at about 3:15 a.m. Aug. 27.
A man from one group got into a car with a drunken 14-year-old from the other group and was seen kissing and inappropriately touching the girl, investigators wrote in court documents.
This caused a fight between the two groups, and not long after, a group of at least three people returned to the park wearing ski masks, one in a ballistic vest, and began shooting.
Landen J. Galbreath, Malachi I. Cook and Nigel I. Neal, all 18, were arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder and three counts of first-degree assault. Tayona C. Allen, also 18, was arrested on suspicion of rendering criminal assistance. A juvenile male was arrested for unlawful possession of a firearm.
The four named individuals made their initial appearance in court Friday. Galbreath, Cook and Neal remained in the Spokane County Jail Friday with a $1 million bond each. Allen was released from jail.
Officers located one person who had been shot in the back and one dead person, identified later as 22-year-old Ablos Kios, according to court documents. Two additional gunshot victims were taken to a hospital by a private vehicle.
Medical staff at the hospital said one victim received a bullet to the jaw area and the second victim was shot twice in the back and once in the chest.
Kios was shot in the forehead, according to documents. He died at the scene.
In court documents, investigators cited witness statements anonymously because they said there have been threats made against witnesses.
A witness told police one group at the park was becoming “more erratic and were screaming” at the other group, trying to start a fight. The witness said a member of one of the groups showed people at the park a firearm and he gave the firearm to his “sister,” who was pointing it at people at the park, which caused people to get upset.
The witness told police he saw a BMW arrive at the park and the occupants of the car were wearing ski masks. Galbreath was the front passenger in the vehicle and the driver was wearing a ballistic vest, documents said.
The witness said one group rushed the BMW and argued with Galbreath and the driver. Galbreath and someone from the other group got into a scuffle and the person swung at Galbreath. The witness said Galbreath dodged the punch and then discharged a firearm at point-blank range, striking the person in the head.
The witness said they heard additional gunshots and saw people in the parking lot area firing as well. Flashes, appearing to be from firearms, came from the BMW, the witness said.
The witness said the occupants of the BMW got back into the car and drove forward a short distance. The driver of the BMW discharged two more rounds before driving away, according to the witness.