SPOKANE COUNTY, Wash. — Four Spokane Police Department officers and one Spokane County Sheriff's Office deputy won't be charged in a shooting that killed a robbery suspect in August 2022.
According to the Spokane County Prosecuting Attorney's Office, SPD Officers Jacob Siegel, Scott Lesser, Robert Riggles and Brandon Lynch, along with SCSO Deputy Derek McNall were justified in their use of deadly force against Dominic Shears following an almost five-hour standoff.
The prosecuting attorney's office also said that during the standoff, Shears, who was wanted for his part in a Spokane Valley armed robbery before the confrontation with police near South Sheridan Street and East 3rd Avenue in downtown Spokane, fired his gun multiple times at law enforcement officers.
Law enforcement was surveilling a suspect who they thought was delivering illegal drugs in Spokane, who they followed to the Oxford Suites in Spokane Valley.
The prosecuting attorney's office said three men in a van, including Shears, went inside the Oxford Suites and robbed the suspected dealer. Shears, who was driving the van, dropped the other two men off and kept driving west on I-90 toward Spokane.
SPD followed Shears, who turned north and hit a building just east of the intersection. When police positioned themselves and gave orders to Shears, Shears fired his gun. Siegel and Lesser returned fire.
Other law enforcement vehicles arrived to the scene attempting to end the standoff. The prosecuting attorney's office said Shears eventually got out of his vehicle with a gun in his hand, appearing to "be looking to acquire targets" Riggles, Lynch and McNall fired their guns at the same time. Shears was hit twice and was later pronounced dead at the scene.
The prosecuting attorney's office said blood toxicology testing showed Shears had alcohol, caffeine, ephedrine, phenylpropanolamine, amphetamine and methamphetamine in his system during the standoff.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Robbery suspect confirmed dead after standoff with Spokane police downtown
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