Armed man steals 3 vehicles in Spokane, dies in multistate police chase

The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) said a man armed with a rifle and a handgun is dead after engaging in three separate carjackings.

The armed man allegedly carjacked a Dodge Challenger from a father and his daughter, and fled at an estimated speed of 140 mph on I-90 towards Idaho during a multistate police chase.

Spokane carjacking spree

SCSO deputies responded to a report of a carjacking around 8:30 a.m. Sunday at a coffee shop in Spokane Valley, and no injuries were reported at this location.

However, shortly after, another carjacking and shooting was reported in Kootenai County near the stateline. The suspect attempted to carjack several vehicles, shooting and killing one person while injuring another.

The man fled Kootenai County and returned to Spokane County, attempting another unsuccessful carjacking and firing his gun again. There were no reported injuries in this incident, according to the release.

The suspect then stole a dark gray truck. Despite officers deploying a spike strip successfully, the suspect was able to continue west at speeds of 120 mph even with a front tire blown out. He then drove into oncoming traffic at approximately 80 mph.

The man waved his rifle out of the window and was believed to be firing toward law enforcement as he continued driving. The suspect crashed into a citizen’s vehicle, a Washington State Patrol (WSP) trooper’s car, and continued firing shots before he was apprehended.

Law enforcement advised that shots were fired, and the suspect was down. The man was given medical aid, but was later pronounced deceased at the scene of the crash.

The Spokane County Medical Examiner’s Office will release the name of the deceased suspect and the manner of death when appropriate, according to the release.

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