SPOKANE, Wash. — Editor's note: the above video reports on the initial shooting that took place on October 23, 2019 a block away from Cooper Elementary School.
On Tuesday morning, the Spokane Police Police Department identified the officer involved in a deadly shooting in the Hillyard neighborhood on Oct. 23.
The shooting occurred around the 3400 block of East Garnet Avenue about a block away from Cooper Elementary School after the department received a call about a suicidal man walking down the street with a firearm.
The police department identified the officer involved in the shooting as Officer Caleb Martin.
David W. Shafer, 61, was shot and killed after he pointed a gun at Officer Martin, according to the department.
Two witnesses at the scene told Spokane police that Shafer's friends tried to help him before the deadly shooting.
The witnesses told police that two of Shafer's friends learned he had become suicidal and went to his home to comfort him, Meidl said. They were allegedly able to get one gun away from him before police arrived. Officials said they called 911.
Shafer then grabbed another firearm from his home, came outside, and pointed his gun at what officer Martin perceived to be another person, police said. Martin then instructed Schafer to drop the gun.
Shafer didn't comply, and instead turned to point the gun at Officer Martin, at which time the officer fired at least two shots from his rifle. Martin was three houses away at the time and the the medical examiner confirmed that two shots struck Shafer's chest.
First aid was given to him by responding officers immediately after the shots were fired before medics arrived, police said. He died of his injuries.
Officers involved in the shooting were wearing body cameras at the time of the incident.
The incident is currently being investigated by the SIRR Team, which is comprised of multiple agencies in eastern Washington, including the Washington State Patrol, Spokane County Sheriff's Office, Spokane Valley Police Department, and the Spokane Police Department.
Officer Caleb Martin was involved in a previous shooting in 2017, where he shot at a domestic violence suspect that was armed. Martin has been with the department since July of 2016.
Note: the video below shares a statement from Chief Craig Meidl regarding what happened during the shooting.