Man accused of threatening neighbors, using ethnic slurs and asking deputies to ‘deport’ them

Spokane Valley Police are investigating a 55-year-old man suspected of yelling profanities and ethnic slurs at his neighbors, including telling them to “go back to their country,” and banging on their shared apartment wall Thursday.

Spokane Valley deputies responded about 12:15 a.m. to an apartment complex near East Main Avenue and North Pines Road.

They reported they could hear Jeffrey G. Bueckers screaming and banging around from the street. They approached Bueckers’ door, identified themselves and asked him to come outside to talk to them. Bueckers told the deputies to “get a warrant,” according to a police news release.

Bueckers eventually calmed down and spoke with deputies, including asking one deputy something to the effect of, “Why don’t you get those Mexicans and deport them?”

The neighbors told deputies they were asleep when Bueckers started banging on the shared wall between their apartments and yelling the hateful speech. Soon after, they heard Bueckers leave his apartment and move to their window where they said Bueckers started hitting it extremely hard, fearing it would break.

Bueckers threatened to burn his neighbors’ work truck, saying “I’m gonna kill you,” before returning to his apartment, where he continued to yell similar statements, according to the release.

Deputies noted several neighbors lived in the complex, but Bueckers appeared to specifically target the victims because of their ethnicity.

Deputies arrested Bueckers on felony charges of harassment and a hate crime offense and booked him into the Spokane County Jail.

Bueckers made his first appearance in Spokane County Superior Court where a judge set his bond at $10,000. He remained in jail Thursday evening.

“There is no place in our community for this type of hate and harassment,” Spokane County Sheriff John Nowels said in the release. “I want to ensure everyone in Spokane County that criminal conduct fueled by this kind of hatred and intolerance will not be tolerated.”