Investigators: Man assaulted police officer trying to arrest Walmart theft suspect who was killed by police

A 33-year-old has been charged with assaulting a police officer who was trying to arrest a theft suspect shot and killed by police Sunday at the north Spokane Walmart.

Spokane police said in a news release Thursday that 35-year-old Karl Richardson was the officer who fired his weapon, killing 34-year-old Kerry Jones-Hilburg.

After two Spokane police officers contacted Jones-Hilburg for suspected shoplifting at the store, 33-year-old Tylor Forester approached one of the officers from behind, according to a news release from the Spokane Independent Investigative Response Team, which is investigating the shooting.

Forester bumped or pushed the officer, diverting his attention from Jones-Hilburg to Forester, investigators say.

Investigators said in the release Jones-Hilburg resisted arrest, which led to Richardson firing his gun.

Witnesses and Walmart loss prevention employees helped identify Forester. Forester was booked into the Spokane County Jail Wednesday on third-degree assault of an officer and obstructing an officer charges.

Forester made his first appearance Thursday in Spokane County Superior Court and is scheduled for an arraignment Dec. 19. Forester remained in Jail Thursday on a $5,000 bond.

Richardson has been with Spokane police since 2019. He previously served as a deputy for three years in Madison County, Montana, Spokane police said.

He grew up in Spokane, attended Northwest Christian High School and received a bachelor’s degree from Whitworth University.

Anyone who witnessed the incident, recorded it or has information that could assist investigators and has yet to be contacted by law enforcement is asked to call Crime Check at (509) 456-2233 and reference case No. 10180498.