ELK, Wash. — Spokane County Sheriff's detectives are investigating a shooting in Elk that may have started as a road rage incident. The man shot is in the hospital with a potentially life-threatening gunshot wound.
The Sheriff's Office said it was called to East Blanchard Road near North Elk Chattaroy Rd. around 4:40 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 20.
The call was initially reported as a possible hit and run, with the caller reporting that a man was lying in the roadway.
When emergency crews arrived they found the man has been shot in the abdomen. The Sheriff's Office described the wound as potentially life-threatening. The man was taken to the hospital, and at last report, is in stable condition.
Detectives now believe the shooting started as an argument between the people in two vehicles. One vehicle had four people in it, while the man who was shot was alone in the second vehicle.
The Sheriff's Office reports the group started arguing about a passing incident from minutes before. That argument escalated and the man was shot.
After the shooting, the other four men drove away, leaving the victim lying in the road.
Detectives have tentatively identified the four men involved in the shooting. No arrests have been made. The Sheriff's Office said the investigation is still ongoing and detectives are still working to figure out what led up to the shooting and why it occurred.
Anyone who witnessed the shooting or has information about the incident is asked to call Crime Check at 509-456-2233.