Pepper Spray Used To Disperse Unruly Crowd Outside Nightclub - Spokane, North Idaho News & Weather KHQ.com

PRESS RELEASE FROM SPOKANE POLICE: Spokane Police responded to numerous calls of shots fired in downtown early Monday morning and found a crowd of more than 100 unruly people. When the crowd refused to safely disperse officers were forced to use pepper spray to avoid injuries to those involved.

The incident started around 2:30 a.m. when Spokane Police received multiple reports of shots fired outside the concert venue The Knitting Factory, 919 W. Sprague. Event security advised officers it was unsafe for them to interact with the unruly crowd outside. Approximately 20 SPD officers quickly responded to diffuse the situation and assist the event security and bystanders.

After the event ended a crowd of over 100 people spilled onto 1st Avenue blocking the usually busy arterial. There were clear indications of intoxicated individuals who were refusing to cooperate and there was a fear of possible altercations.

Officers made many attempts to disperse the crowd and were forced to utilize a small amount of pepper spray to control the situation. The pepper spray canisters that were used contained a one second burst of pepper spray and worked successfully to diffuse the situation with no injuries.

No arrests were made and no evidence of any gunshots being fired. No victims or witnesses contacted police. Unfortunately, this one event tied up the majority of available officers within the City for the duration of the incident.

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SPOKANE, Wash. - Spokane Police were called to downtown Spokane early Monday morning after getting reports of shots fired outside a nightclub.

Officers told KHQ that around 2:20 a.m. they were called to the Mixx 916 nightclub, next to the Knitting Factory on West 1st Ave. When officers arrived, they say they were met by a 'pretty defiant' crowd of 50-100 people.

After attempts to try and clear the crowd, officers were forced to use pepper spray to disperse the crowd.  No injuries are reported and no arrests were made.

There was no immediate indication as to what prompted the melee.