SPOKANE, Wash. — A man was taken to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries after a stabbing in Northeast Spokane that stemmed from an argument over fireworks on the Fourth of July, according to Spokane police.
In a press release, Spokane police said they were advised of a stabbing incident on East Queen Avenue. Police said the confrontation stemmed from an argument over the lighting of fireworks. The victim went through surgery and is expected to survive, Spokane Police Officer Stephen Anderson.
According to police, 63-year-old Louis Vega was arrested and charged with first-degree assault. He was booked into jail on July 5 but was later released after he posted bond. A judge set his bond at $20,000.
In court Wednesday afternoon, he was given release conditions and his arraignment was scheduled for July 28.
The Spokane Police Department is asking anyone with information about this incident to call Crime Check at 509-456-2233 and reference Case No. 2021-20111341.
This was the 29th year of all individual consumer fireworks being illegal in Spokane.
In the 10 years prior to the ordinance, firefighters responded to an average of 104 fireworks-caused fires between June 28 and July 6, Jamie McIntyre, Community Risk Reduction Manager of Spokane Fire said. Since the ban has been in place, the average number of fireworks-caused fires has dropped to less than five. That is a 95% decrease.