Two people pepper-sprayed during alleged robbery near Riverfront Park, four arrested

Four people were arrested after using a chemical agent during a robbery Tuesday night in downtown Spokane, according to the Spokane Police Department.

Officers were called at about 6:25 p.m. to the area of 200 N. Wall St. for the robbery, police said in a news release. Officers contacted two victims – a man and a woman – who had been attacked with pepper spray or a similar product while sitting in a vehicle.

The man told police he walked over to retrieve money from an ATM while the woman remained in the car. One of the suspects tried to talk with the man after he obtained his money.

Feeling uneasy, the man quickly returned to his vehicle and got inside, the release said. A group of men chased the man and pulled open the car door as he tried to close it.

The suspects demanded the victims’ money, and a struggle ensued inside the vehicle when one of the suspects sprayed them, police said. The victims begged the suspects to stop, and one of them handed over the money to the suspects, who ran away.

A witness advised the suspects were wearing masks and hooded sweatshirts. Officers observed a group of people who matched the witness descriptions walking in the Riverfront Park area.

The suspects started throwing items that appeared to be cash and a backpack into the river when they saw police, officers said.

Officers, with the help of park rangers, detained four suspects after they ran in different directions. The suspects, Rashaud Lightner, 26; Jaeshon Farmer, 18; and Chase Wilson, 23, were booked into the Spokane County Jail on suspicion of first-degree armed robbery.

A fourth suspect was booked into the Spokane County Juvenile Detention Center on suspicion of first-degree armed robbery, obstruction of a law enforcement officer and being minor in possession of liquor.

Officers recovered a canister of bear spray during the arrests.

Lightner, Farmer and Wilson remained in jail Wednesday night. All three made their first appearance Wednesday in Spokane County Superior Court and are scheduled for an arraignment April 9.

Video links of the incident can be seen here: vimeo.com/928151880?share=copy and vimeo.com/928151486?share=copy.