SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. — The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office found a car as it fled the scene of a robbery at a Spokane Valley Walmart with its Air-2 helicopter unit on Wednesday evening.
Deputies had responded to a reported robbery at about 9:20 p.m. at a Walmart on East Sprague Ave. in Spokane Valley on Wednesday evening, according to Cpl. Mark Gregory, spokesman for the Spokane County Sheriff's Office.
The suspect, 28-year-old Benjamin Lassey, attempted to steal merchandise and had been recognized by an employee as he had been banned from the store due to previous theft attempts, Gregory said.
When an employee identified himself to Lassey as a loss prevention employee trying to retrieve the items, Lassey kicked the employee and fled into the parking lot. Lassey then got into a black four-door sedan, Gregory said.
The Air-2 helicopter was already flying over the area to monitor the call when it got the report of the suspect fleeing the scene. The helicopter then found the car and told responding deputies, who then started a traffic stop at Thor and Freya, Gregory said.
In addition to Lassey, deputies found 38-year-old Kyle Kirk driving the car. Kirk had a switchblade in his pants pocket when deputies searched him, according to Gregory, after which deputies handcuffed him and placed him in a patrol car.
Lassey did not cooperate with commands and appeared to be reaching around the inside of the car, causing deputies to shoot out a window using non-lethal bullets, Gregory said. Lassey then cooperated and was taken into custody.
After being taken into custody, deputies found a flare gun that had been painted black in Lassey’s pocket and a “black tar-like substance consistent with heroin,” Gregory said. A preliminary field test came back positive for heroin.
Kirk told deputies he had been asked by Lassey for a ride to Walmart and was not aware of what had happened inside the store. He was cited for possession of a dangerous weapon at the scene.
Lassey told deputies he didn’t remember kicking the Walmart employee, but knew he was not allowed inside the store for previous thefts. He confirmed he asked Kirk for a ride but did not inform him of the theft, according to Gregory.
Lassey was charged with first-degree burglary, first-degree robbery, possession of a dangerous weapon, possession of a controlled substance, and obstruction. He also had three outstanding warrants for possession of a stolen vehicle, second-degree criminal trespass and third-degree theft, according to the release. He was booked into Spokane County Jail.
