SPOKANE VALLEY, WA – A juvenile runaway is facing a litany of felony charges after authorities say the 13-year-old engaged in a crime spree across Spokane Valley involving an alleged vehicle theft and kidnapping while armed with a stolen firearm.
The Spokane Valley Police Department issued a press release earlier in December regarding a series of incidents occurring on December 11 through the early morning hours of December 12 that initially started out as a simple runaway investigation involving two juveniles residing at a group home.
At approximately 5:00 p.m. on December 11, staff at a group home located along the 14400 block of E. Sharp Avenue reported two juvenile runaways to police, aged 9 and 13, leading to authorities launching a search of the immediate area to locate the children.
While initial attempts to locate the runaways were unsuccessful, local authorities were informed at approximately 2:15 a.m. on December 12 that a Mazda had been stolen from a business parking lot in the 1500 block of N. Thierman Road.
Roughly one hour after authorities were informed of the stolen vehicle, two witnesses reported to authorities that they had spotted the juvenile runaways in the area of W. Thorpe Road, telling police the 9-year-old had decided to stay with the witnesses, but the 13-year-old “was walking away” and allegedly had a handgun on him.
Spokane Valley deputies and officers from the Airway Heights Police Department reportedly responded to the area and were able to secure both juveniles. After taking the runaways into police custody, investigators learned of an alleged crime spree that started with prowling and burglary and ended with a crashed, stolen vehicle.
Authorities say the juveniles were wandering around Spokane Valley, perusing through various parking lots, when the 13-year-old allegedly happened on a parked vehicle where he broke in and stole a Glock 23.
From there, police say the 13-year-old eventually landed on the black Mazda, with the elder runaway allegedly forcing the 9-year-old at gunpoint to enter the stolen vehicle as the younger juvenile reportedly refused to participate in the vehicle prowling and subsequent theft.
The 13-year-old allegedly drove the stolen Mazda before he crashed into a median located along I-90 near the Geiger/Grove Road interchange, with no serious injuries sustained by either juvenile during the crash. After abandoning the stolen vehicle, police say the 13-year-old “fired the handgun three times” while walking down South Grove Road, eventually making his way to Thorpe Road, where the two witnesses spotted them.
Deputies later recovered a handgun matching the description of the one stolen earlier, “approximately 15-20 feet off the roadway,” from where the juveniles were detained by responding authorities, leading investigators to believe the elder juvenile attempted to ditch the weapon before the arrival of police.
The 13-year-old suspect is now facing charges of first-degree kidnapping, second-degree assault, and second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm and has since been booked into the Spokane County Juvenile Detention Center.
The Spokane Valley Police Department issued a press release earlier in December regarding a series of incidents occurring on December 11 through the early morning hours of December 12 that initially started out as a simple runaway investigation involving two juveniles residing at a group home.
At approximately 5:00 p.m. on December 11, staff at a group home located along the 14400 block of E. Sharp Avenue reported two juvenile runaways to police, aged 9 and 13, leading to authorities launching a search of the immediate area to locate the children.
While initial attempts to locate the runaways were unsuccessful, local authorities were informed at approximately 2:15 a.m. on December 12 that a Mazda had been stolen from a business parking lot in the 1500 block of N. Thierman Road.
Roughly one hour after authorities were informed of the stolen vehicle, two witnesses reported to authorities that they had spotted the juvenile runaways in the area of W. Thorpe Road, telling police the 9-year-old had decided to stay with the witnesses, but the 13-year-old “was walking away” and allegedly had a handgun on him.
Spokane Valley deputies and officers from the Airway Heights Police Department reportedly responded to the area and were able to secure both juveniles. After taking the runaways into police custody, investigators learned of an alleged crime spree that started with prowling and burglary and ended with a crashed, stolen vehicle.
Authorities say the juveniles were wandering around Spokane Valley, perusing through various parking lots, when the 13-year-old allegedly happened on a parked vehicle where he broke in and stole a Glock 23.
From there, police say the 13-year-old eventually landed on the black Mazda, with the elder runaway allegedly forcing the 9-year-old at gunpoint to enter the stolen vehicle as the younger juvenile reportedly refused to participate in the vehicle prowling and subsequent theft.
The 13-year-old allegedly drove the stolen Mazda before he crashed into a median located along I-90 near the Geiger/Grove Road interchange, with no serious injuries sustained by either juvenile during the crash. After abandoning the stolen vehicle, police say the 13-year-old “fired the handgun three times” while walking down South Grove Road, eventually making his way to Thorpe Road, where the two witnesses spotted them.
Deputies later recovered a handgun matching the description of the one stolen earlier, “approximately 15-20 feet off the roadway,” from where the juveniles were detained by responding authorities, leading investigators to believe the elder juvenile attempted to ditch the weapon before the arrival of police.
The 13-year-old suspect is now facing charges of first-degree kidnapping, second-degree assault, and second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm and has since been booked into the Spokane County Juvenile Detention Center.
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