UPDATE: Wandermere Shooting Suspect Arrested, Charged with Murder 1st Degree
Spokane County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Detectives and Deputies, with the assistance of the Spokane Police Department, located the suspect vehicle and after a short pursuit, successfully took the suspect, 31-year-old Jonathan R. Andersen into custody near Rowan and Monroe.
On July 8, 2019, at approximately 5:15 p.m., shortly after releasing the photos of a possible suspect vehicle to the public, a citizen reported a possible location of the vehicle in the 100 block of W. Wedgewood.
Sheriff’s Deputies and Investigators along with the Spokane Police Department’s PACT Team responded to the area and located the vehicle. With the car unoccupied and parked, they set up surveillance and began to gather information as additional resources responded to the scene.
Investigators developed information on the possible shooting suspect and learned he was inside an apartment in the area. Detectives began the process of requesting a search warrant for the apartment.
Through additional investigations, the suspect was identified as Andersen. A check of Andersen’s name revealed he had a confirmed Washington State Department of Corrections Escape Community Custody (original charge Assault 2nd Degree) felony warrant for his arrest.
Soon after, Andersen was seen leaving the apartment carrying duffle bags. He got into the Expedition and exited the apartment complex parking lot. Deputies activated their emergency lights in an attempt to get Andersen to stop, but he began to flee. Not knowing if Andersen was armed, but he had been identified as a homicide suspect where he shot and killed the victim, and he had an active felony warrant for his arrest, Deputies looked for a location to safely end this pursuit and take Andersen into custody for the safety of the public, as well as everyone trying to apprehend him.
Near Rowan and Madison, a PIT maneuver was utilized to stop Andersen’s flight. He was removed from the vehicle and safely taken into custody.
During the pursuit of this wanted, homicide suspect; a fence, shrubbery, a parked, unoccupied vehicle and two Sheriff’s Office Patrol vehicles were damaged, but thankfully no citizens or law enforcement personnel were injured.
As the investigation continued, Detectives learned from witness statements; the victim was with a female friend and her boyfriend at Lowes in North Spokane the day of the shooting. They drove to the Wandermere area because the victim said she wanted to show them something. The victim turned around at Glencrest and began traveling south on Wandermere when the red Expedition driven by Andersen and occupied by a white female passenger sped up behind the victim’s vehicle. The victim slowed and waived the vehicle by, when gunshots were fired, striking the victim in the head. The male passenger walked away prior to the arrival of responding Deputies.
Information obtained during interviews indicates the victim approached Andersen in the parking lot of the carwash near Lowes, prior to the shooting on July 7, 2019. The victim approached Andersen and gave him a purse saying something to the effect it was a mistake to take the purse. The victim went back to her vehicle and drove away. Andersen, driving the red Expedition, began following the victim who tried to lose Andersen several times but was unsuccessful. At the location where the shooting occurred, the victim slowed and pulled over to the side of the road. Andersen pulled up alongside and began firing a pistol at the victim before driving away.
Andersen was advised of his rights and interviewed by Detective Keyser. He admitted to using Methamphetamine and said he had not slept in a prolonged period of time. He denied using Heroin but admitted to carrying it around as several baggies of a substance believed to be Heroin were recovered at the time of his arrest. He denied any involvement or knowledge of the shooting. However, throughout the interview, Andersen indicated he had knowledge of the stolen purse and the recovery of it.
Investigators suspect the purse in question belongs to Andersen’s fiancé.
This continues to be an active investigation and Detectives are still seeking information from anyone who may know about Andersen’s activities in the days prior to the shooting or of the shooting itself. Anyone with information regarding this investigation is urged to call Detective Keyser at 509-477-6611.
The murder weapon has not been recovered, and additional charges are possible as this investigation continues.
