SPOKANE, Washington - Spokane Police Chief Frank Straub was on scene at the shooting where he told KHQ reporters that he backs his officers and their actions Tuesday morning.
In that interview, he told KHQ "I have to compliment the actions taken by our police officers. I think they did a outstanding job."
According to officials, shortly after 1:00 this Tuesday morning, officers from the Spokane Police Department were involved in a shooting near the Huckleberry's at 9th and Monroe. At approximately 1:18, 911 dispatchers received calls of shots fired in the area of 8th and Adams.
The responding officers observed the suspect in the area but the man, identified as Jacob Dorfman, 52, ran away, hopped in a car, and led police on a short chase just a few blocks away where it ended in the Huckleberry's parking lot.
Officials say shots were fired and Dorfman died at the scene where they recovered a handgun. No other details were given about the shooting Tuesday.
After Straub also posted a similar statement to Facebook praising the police, it lead many KHQ viewers to ask why the Chief would back his officers before a thorough investigation. Straub told KHQ that he praised his officers because they put themselves in a dangerous situation.
Straub told KHQ's Chelsea Kopta, "What are we doing? We're running into danger. We're protecting the community. We're trying to stop a suspect who has fired his weapon and endangered the life of all those people who felt it necessary to call police. We first chase him on foot, he gets in vehicle. We continue to pursue him and within five minutes, the whole call is over and the threat to the community is stopped. So I think, how can you say that that's not outstanding police work?"
KHQ also asked the Chief if his officers were fired at directly but he did not comment on that issue since he said those details would come out in the investigation. Right now, the Spokane Investigative Regional Response (SIRR) team is leading the investigation.
The chief also added that when anyone who loses their life, it isn't something "that any one of us wants to deal with ... We're in the business of saving life."
This is a developing story and KHQ will be sure to give you the latest information as we receive it.
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