Officers shoot man with knife

One man was killed in an officer-involved shooting that took place late Monday night at Mitchell's Harvest Foods on First Street.

According to a Sept. 4 Cheney Police Department news release, three Cheney officers, assisted by Eastern Washington University police, responded to a call at approximately 11:40 p.m. of a disorderly man armed with a knife at the grocery store at 116 W. First St. Upon arriving on scene, the officers made contact with the man outside the store in the parking lot.

The man refused to follow the officers' commands, and still armed with the knife, moved towards the officers. The three Cheney officers subsequently fired their weapons, striking the man. According to one Cheney police official, the man appeared to have been shot at virtually point-blank range.

Eastern officers immediately began life-saving efforts until relieved by Cheney Fire Department and American Medical Response emergency medical personnel. The male was eventually pronounced dead at the scene.

According to the news release, the "Officer Involved Protocol" was enacted, leading to the Spokane Investigative Regional Response (SIRR) team being called to the scene. The SIRR is comprised of multiple agencies in Eastern Washington including the Spokane County Sheriff's Office, Washington State Patrol, city of Spokane Police Department and the Cheney Police Department.

The State Patrol will be investigating the incident, with all future communications sent via the SIRR team.

"That aspect is being reviewed separate from our agency," Cheney police Capt. Rick Campbell said.

Per standard protocol, all three Cheney officers have been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation. Campbell said once the State Patrol's investigation is far enough along, Cheney would begin its own internal investigation into the incident to determine if proper policy, training and other aspects were followed.

Campbell, who has been with the department since 1982, said to the best of his recollection, the last time Cheney officers were part of an officer-involved shooting incident was in the mid-1970s. Two officers responded to a robbery at the former F&M Bank, now Banner Bank, when the suspect opened fire on them. Neither officer returned fire, and the suspect was eventually chased to near Spokane International Airport where he was shot by SIA officers.

Traffic along First Street/State Route 904 was rerouted to Third Street via G Street and Washington Street/Salnave Road while officers processed the shooting site at Mitchell's. First Street was reopened to traffic around 10 a.m.

The Cheney Police Department will release the names of the officers involved at a later date. The Spokane Medical Examiner will release the name of the decedent at a later date when appropriate.

John McCallum can be reached at jmac@cheneyfreepress.com.