Investigators submit findings in deputy-involved shooting near Loon Lake to prosecutor's office

Garrett Cabeza, The Spokesman-Review, Spokane, Wash.
Updated ·1 min read
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Aug. 2—The Spokane Independent Investigative Response team finished its investigation into the deputy-involved shooting that left a 52-year-old man dead last year near Loon Lake in Stevens County.

Spokane County Sheriff's Office deputies Stephan Blaakman and Alexx Bullion shot and killed Jeffery J. Smith in the SWAT standoff Oct. 12.

Major Crimes Detectives at the Spokane Police Department, the managing agency for the investigation, submitted their investigative findings to the Stevens County Prosecutor's Office for review, according to a SIIR news release. The prosecutor's office will make a legal determination regarding the deputies' actions during the shooting.

Spokane police spokesman Cpl. Nick Briggs said in a text message that the SIIR team does not recommend charges in officer-involved shooting investigations.

Spokane police sent reports from deputies at the scene and investigators, body camera and drone footage, and forensic analysis of evidence recovered from the scenes, the release said.

The incident began when a man reported Smith held him at gunpoint and fired a shot next to his head in the 42800 block of North Spotted Road near Clayton, according to court documents.

The man fled to a home in the 4000 block of U.S. Highway 395 in the Loon Lake area. The Spokane County Sheriff's Office SWAT team and a drone were called in to help locate Smith, who fled into the nearby woods.

As authorities set a perimeter, officers heard Smith fire multiple shots.

Officers made several announcements to Smith that he was under arrest and asked him to surrender, court records said. A Spokane County Sheriff's Office news release said Smith threatened to shoot authorities .

Documents said two SWAT team members shot him. Smith died at the scene, according to documents.