FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
No Criminal Charges in August 2019 Police Shooting
SPOKANE COUNTY, Wash. - March 23, 2020 – The Spokane County Prosecutor’s Office has determined that Spokane County Sheriff’s Deputies Skye Ortiz and Josiah Loos were justified in their use of lethal force against Colin C. Osborn while attempting to prevent Osborn from evading arrest and escaping from the Deputies. Osborn had fired several gunshots in an attempt to break into a business located at 10019 E. Knox Ave., Spokane Valley, WA, in an apparent attempt to assault an individual that was working inside.
At about 9:08 am on August 16, 2019, Spokane Valley Police responded to the area of 10019 E. Knox Ave., Spokane Valley, WA, on a report of a man with a weapon. Dispatch reported that an armed male had driven to the location in a black pickup truck with a black canopy and that he was attempting to enter the locked business. The 9-1-1 caller, who was inside the business, was the current boyfriend of Osborn’s former girlfriend. Osborn was believed to be intoxicated.
Upon arriving at the scene, Deputy Ortiz parked the patrol vehicle on the south side of East Knox and he and Deputy Loos approached Osborn. Osborn then fired several shots in the immediate vicinity, swung his weapon towards a responding Deputy, and ignored a command to drop the weapon. Both Loos and Ortiz fired at Osborn as Osborn attempted to speed away from the scene in the truck. Osborn was struck by one round and was pronounced deceased at the scene. The subsequent investigation determined that Osborn was armed with a loaded 9mm pistol. His BAC was determined to be .25.
Under the facts and circumstances presented at the time, Deputies Ortiz and Loos were justified in their use of deadly force. At the time of the application of deadly force, both Deputies had a good faith belief in the correctness of their actions and were acting pursuant to RCW 9A.16.040. Therefore, no criminal charges will be filed in this matter.