SPOKANE, Wash. — Spokane police have confirmed that there has been an uptick in violent crimes in the city.
Officers with the Spokane Police Department have arrested multiple people and added charges to those already arrested in connection with violent crimes like drive-by shootings, murder and assault.
SPD confirmed in a press release that there has been an uptick in violent crime in the area. This was decided by an extensive investigation involving multiple SPD specialty units.
So far this year, there have been 12 drive-by shootings and 44 other shootings as of May 31. Other shootings may include accidental discharge or unlawful discharge with no intent to assault, or other intentional assaults that don’t meet the definition of a drive-by shooting, according to SPD.
The most recent round of arrests happened last weekend.
The charges are against three juveniles and two adult males, and are the result of multiple investigations into violent crime.
SPD detectives developed probable cause to add ten additional charges each to one juvenile and one adult including conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, seven counts of first-degree assault, and one count of drive-by shooting.
Charges for others arrested or charged this weekend include first-degree assault with a firearm and first-degree assault.
Additionally, SPD with the help of U.S. Marshalls arrested one suspect in the shooting spree on May 10 where 87 rounds were fired around the Serrano Apartments in North Spokane. SPD is in the process of extraditing the suspect who was arrested out of state last week.
These investigations are still ongoing.