SPOKANE, Wash. — The Spokane Investigative Regional Response Team is investigating an officer-involved shooting that resulted in the death of a North Spokane man who was originally believed to be in possession of a firearm but was later found only to have had a bat on the night of Jan. 7.
At about 10:30 p.m., Spokane Police officers responded to a call about a man shooting outside at people inside a neighboring residence on W. Montgomery. The white male suspect was identified as 35-year-old David M. Novak, according to the Spokane Police Department.
Authorities said the 911 caller said Novak appeared to be drunk when he walked over to three men in front of a residence. During the conversation, the complainant said Novak started using racial slurs toward the three men and stated multiple times he was a member of the “KKK,” according to authorities.
Novak then grabbed one of the three men and attempted to hit him, police said. The man broke free and told Novak to leave the property, according to authorities.
Police say Novak walked back to his house. He called back to the three men as he did so and threatened to kill/shoot the men, who called 911 shortly after the encounter, according to authorities.
Upon arriving, one officer told dispatch they heard a gunshot, possibly from a shotgun. Officers confronted Novak moments later in his driveway and the officer told others over the radio, “shots fired.”
Novak fled into his home, leaving officers unsure of whether he was injured or armed, according to Spokane Police Cpl. Teresa Fuller. Officers then began evacuating houses near the suspect’s home and told other neighbors to shelter-in-place.
Officers approached Novak’s home with an Armored Tactical Rescue Vehicle, police said. As they approached, they saw Novak lying on the ground, not moving inside the doorway.
Officers attempted to revive Novak, but he was later pronounced dead at the scene, according to authorities.
SIRR investigators found an aluminum baseball bat in Novak’s driveway, authorities said. The vehicle in the driveway appeared to have been hit several times with the bat, but a firearm was not found at the scene.
The investigation is ongoing. If you have any information, security video, or witnessed the incident, call Crime Check.