SPOKANE, Wash. – Spokane County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) deputies arrested an armed robbery suspect who was attempting to flee on a bus near Franklin Park on Wednesday.
Authorities received an armed robbery report from a store in the 12300 block of North Division Street around 1:50 p.m. A suspect had reportedly stolen items, and threatened an employee with a knife before fleeing the scene.
The report also stated that the suspect may have boarded an STA bus after leaving the scene.
Upon arrival, SCSO deputies reportedly contacted a Spokane Region Emergency Communications (SREC) Officer and reached STA dispatch, asking whether the suspect might have boarded one of their buses.
Deputies spoke with the victim, an employee, who told them the suspect had been cutting down wall-mounted electronics accessories in the store. As the suspect began moving towards the store’s exit, the victim attempted to intervene. The suspect brandished a knife with a “wild look in his eyes.”
Officials received word that the suspect might be aboard a bus traveling south on North Division Street. The bus was stopped near Franklin Park, where the suspect was reportedly spotted on board.
Deputies instructed the other passengers to exit the bus, out of concern that the suspect was still armed, and managed to take the suspect into custody without incident.
“I’m sorry, you gotta do what you gotta do,” the suspect said during the arrest.
He reportedly claimed that he understood the store employee was just doing his job, and that he had no real intention to harm the employee with his knife.
The suspect was charged with felony robbery, theft and possession of a controlled substance.
