‘He had the biggest heart’: Woman remembers brother who was shot, killed near Sacred Heart as killer remains at large

The 38-year-old man who was shot and killed sitting in his car over the weekend near Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center was a “big teddy bear” who loved everyone, especially Jesus, according to his sister.

“He just could make anyone laugh,” said Ashley Smith, sister to the slain Derick Shafer. “He had the biggest heart.”

Spokane police officers responded shortly before 1 a.m. to the area of South McClellan Street and Sixth Avenue and found Shafer dead inside a vehicle, according to police. Investigators believe an unknown suspect walked up to Shafer’s car and started firing at Shafer, seated inside.

The suspect ran away, and police have yet to locate the person responsible.

Shafer died of gunshot wounds, according to the Spokane County Medical Examiner’s Office, which ruled the death a homicide.

Detectives are working to find the suspect and motive for what Smith called “senseless,” “heartless” and “horrific.”

“It’s just truly disgusting, you know?” Smith said. “Yeah, it’s a hard one to accept.”

She said she doesn’t think her brother had enemies. He was extremely likable and made everyone around him smile, she said.

“That’s why I’m like, ‘How could anyone ever hurt my brother?’ ” Smith said. “He’s a big teddy bear, you know? He loved everyone. He was just so sweet.”

Smith said she and her brother were born and raised in the Spokane area. She said their father owned a car detailing shop, and Shafer worked as an auto detailer for years.

Smith said her brother had a learning disability and was on Social Security in recent years. He is survived by a 16-year-old son.

Smith said she and Shafer, who was about two years older than her, were close. They talked often, including two days before he was killed. The last thing he told her was that he loved her, something Smith said she’s grateful to have heard.

They both attended the Altar Church in Coeur d’Alene. She said her brother loved Jesus, and she hopes he had his Bible in his Hyundai, which she sold to him, when he was shot.

“He truly just loved Jesus so much, and so I get comfort knowing that’s where he is,” Smith said. “I feel selfish because I want him back, but I do get comfort knowing that.”

Although she was younger than Shafer, Smith always took care of him, whether it was selling him a car or picking him up somewhere.

“I was his phone call,” she said.

Smith learned of her brother’s death when detectives showed up at her doorstep about 6:30 a.m. Sunday, some 5½ hours after the shooting. She said her shock and devastation turned to “righteous anger,” and she’s now on a mission to find out who killed her brother.

“You won’t get to do this to my brother and get away with it,” Smith said.

She praised Spokane police detectives for their dedication to the case and said it’s only a matter of time until the person responsible is caught.

Smith said the family is offering a reward for information leading to the arrest of the suspect. A dollar amount has not been set.

She said she looks forward to getting closure with more answers about what happened early Sunday morning.

“Our family’s heartbroken, and I just hope that whoever did this knows that they just took someone that was very loved, and it’s very unfair, and we won’t stop till they’re caught,” Smith said.

Police said anyone with information about the shooting is asked to contact Crime Check at (509) 456-2233 and reference incident No. 2025-20210586.