SIIR Update August 7, 2020, Officer Involved Shooting
This is an update to the original SIIR press release put out by the Spokane Independent Investigative Response Team on August 11, 2020. SIIR is sending this release as the required weekly update regarding the incident that occurred on August 7, 2020, regarding a Spokane Police Officer involved shooting at Crestline and Courtland in Spokane, WA.
On August 14, 2020, Buttrom was released from the hospital and booked into the Spokane County Jail for multiple, unrelated felony charges to include: Robbery 1st Degree, Kidnapping 1st Degree, Assault 2nd Degree, and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm 1st Degree. These charges stem from a robbery on July 31, 2020, at Metro PCS.
During the robbery investigation, Spokane County Major Crime Detective Bonney identified Buttrom as a suspect and developed probable cause for the charges prior to the Spokane Police OIS on August 7th. Buttrom also has a Washington State Department of Corrections Escape Community Custody warrant, stemming from a previous armed robbery conviction.
The SIIR investigation is ongoing, and there is no further information to be released at this time.
This update is required in compliance with WAC 139-12, which mandates weekly updates be sent out by the lead investigative agency in investigations where a Washington State Peace Officer uses deadly force in the capacity of his or her law enforcement duties. These updates are required even if no new information is available at the time of the update.
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***Original SIIR Release***
SIIR Investigates Officer Involved Shooting Incident on August 7, 2020
The Spokane Independent Investigation Response (SIIR) Team continues the independent investigation into the Spokane Police Officer involved shooting incident that occurred on August 7, 2020.
SIIR Investigators remained at the scene of the incident, the intersection of Crestline and Courtland throughout the night and Saturday morning as they processed the scene for evidence, with the assistance of Spokane County Sheriff’s Forensic Unit personnel.
The suspect, identified as 29-year-old Jonathan M. Buttrom, remains hospitalized under guard and is listed in satisfactory condition.
After obtaining a search warrant for the vehicle Buttrom was in, SIIR Detectives recovered a loaded 9mm pistol, with one round in the chamber and several in the magazine.
Buttrom had an active felony Washington State Department of Corrections warrant, Escape Community Custody (original charge conviction-Robbery 1st Degree) for his arrest when Spokane Police Officers contacted him on August 7, 2020. In addition, he was suspected of committing several armed robberies in the city of Spokane and Spokane County.
Initial information indicates, when Spokane Police Officers moved in to detain Buttrom, a convicted felon and prohibited from possessing firearms, displayed a handgun. The other occupant of the vehicle quickly exited and was safely detained. After being interviewed, the occupant was later released and was not charged with a crime.
As is standard protocol, the Spokane Police Department placed the two officers who fired their weapons on paid administrative leave.
SIIR Team Investigators continue to identify and interview witnesses and ask anyone with information regarding this incident who has not already been contacted by law enforcement to contact Spokane County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Detective Scott Bonney at 509-477-3125.
The SIIR Team is comprised of agencies in Spokane County, including the Spokane Police Department, Washington State Patrol, Spokane Valley Police Department and the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office.
As an involved agency, Spokane Police Department personnel will not be involved in this investigation, in compliance with WAC 139-12, which was developed after the passage of I940 and HB1064.
• The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office is the managing agency in this incident. All future communications on this incident will be sent via the SIIR Team.
• The Spokane Police Department will release the name of the officers involved in this incident.
• Once the SIIR Team investigation is complete, the case will be forwarded to the Spokane County Prosecutor’s Office for review.
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** Original Spokane Police Department Press Release sent on August 8, 2020 **
SIIR Team Investigating Officer Involved Shooting
Two Spokane Police officers were involved in an Officer Involved Shooting (OIS) incident tonight. The officers fired their service weapons at an armed robbery suspect. The suspect was injured, transported to an area hospital for treatment, and is expected to survive his injuries.
No officers were injured during this incident.
The incident is being investigated by the Spokane Independent Investigative Response (SIIR) Team.
The following is preliminary information gathered from statements of involved parties and witness officers.
Tonight, August 7, 2020, just before11:30 pm, Spokane Police personnel from the Patrol Anti-Crime Team (PACT), Special Investigative Unit (SIU), and SWAT team were following up on the recent string of armed robberies at cell phone stores in the area. One of the suspects in those robberies was believed to be in northeast Spokane. This suspect also had a felony Department of Corrections warrant for Escaping Community Custody on an unrelated, previous 1st Degree Robbery conviction. With the information they had, the robbery suspect was located in a vehicle with an uninvolved person at the intersection of Crestline and Courtland.
Once officers moved in to detain the robbery suspect, he displayed a firearm. The other person in the vehicle was able to quickly exit the car to safety. Officers attempted to deescalate the situation prior to the shots being fired. The suspect was injured, exited the vehicle, and once safely detained, immediately received medical aid from a SWAT medic on scene. He was transported to an area hospital and is expected to survive his injuries. A firearm was found in the vehicle. Investigators will verify it’s operability after it’s collected as they process the crime scene.
The Officer Involved Protocol was enacted. The SIIR Team is on-scene investigating the incident and processing the scene. The SIIR Team is comprised of multiple agencies in eastern Washington, including the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office, the Washington State Patrol and the Spokane Police Department.
• The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office is the managing agency in this incident. All future communications on this incident will be sent via the SIIR Team.
• The Spokane Police Department will release the name of the officers involved in this incident.
• Once the SIIR Team investigation is complete the case will be forwarded to the Spokane County Prosecutor’s Office for review.
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