Police in Spokane fatally shoot man with knife

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — Police say Spokane officers fatally shot a man who approached them with a knife.

Police said that just after 7 p.m., dispatch received a call of suicidal male in the 100 block of south State Street. Three officers arrived and attempted to make contact with the man, who was leaning against a building. He turned to face officers and was holding a knife to his own chest, police said.

But then the man started to approach them armed with the knife, so one of the officers was able to deploy his Taser, but it was ineffective. The  man continued towards the officers. Two officers fired their weapons, striking the subject, police said.

Medical aid was rendered almost immediately as medics had already staged nearby. But the man was pronounced deceased at the scene. The identity of the man will be released by the Medical Examiner’s Office, police said.


Spokane Police Officer Jennifer DeRuwe says others at the shelter became "unruly and confrontational" after the shooting and that police called for all other officers to respond. DeRuwe says no one else was injured as the scene was brought under control. Police later said two people were arrested.

Additional details were not immediately available.

The Washington State Patrol is investigating.