Spokane pays woman $425,000 to settle flash bang injury during 2023 police training

A woman injured in 2023 by a flash bang grenade during a joint training between the Spokane Police Department and Spokane County Sheriff’s Office will receive $425,000 in a settlement with the city.

Cheney resident and Eastern Washington University Police Department cadet Sierra Athos was injured during the April 2023 training, requiring surgery, according to her social media. Now a painter of murals in the windows of local businesses, Athos credited the injury with diverting her from a law enforcement career.

Athos captured public attention in 2020 when her senior yearbook photos, one displaying a “Trump 2020” and another with her draped in an American flag, were rejected by Lewis and Clark High School, sparking a censorship debate.

The Spokane City Council unanimously approved the settlement on Monday, ending any claims Athos has against the city.