Deputies Arrest Two Juvenile Males for Robbery 1st Degree
Spokane Valley Deputies responded to a report of a robbery in progress at Pronto Plus, 520 S. Pines Road. One suspect was arrested inside the store; the second was located and arrested a short distance away.
On September 25, 2024, at approximately 5:37 pm, Spokane Valley Deputies responded to a possible active robbery at Pronto Plus. The caller stated he was holding the store doors closed, and an employee with a bat was wrestling with someone behind the counter.
As several Deputies responded, they were informed a second suspect (S2) fled on foot to the south. He was described as a white teenage male, approximately 6’00”, wearing a gray hoodie.
The first arriving Deputy observed the suspect (S1), wearing a red hoodie, inside the store. Seeing the Deputy, S1 ran to the back of the store with the store employee, holding a wooden handle/stick, chasing him.
The Deputy rushed into the store and contacted S1 and the employee in the back near the exit door. He commanded the employee to move away and get back, and the employee complied. The Deputy then focused on S1, who was gripping his waistband as if holding a weapon.
Not knowing if S1 was armed, and given the severity of the reported crime, the Deputy drew his pistol and gave commands for S1 to show his hands. S1 refused to obey, yelling, “Shoot me n****!” The Deputy continued to give commands, while S1 remained defiant, refused to follow them, and continued to tell the Deputy to shoot him.
The Deputy observed that S1 had a blue bag in one hand while he continued to grip his waistband area with the other. At this time, the Deputy transitioned from his firearm to his Taser in an attempt to de-escalate the tense situation while continuing to give commands and warnings the Taser would be used if he did not comply.
Continuing his choice to ignore commands to show his hands, the Deputy fired his Taser, which had the desired effect, causing S1 to fall to the ground and say, “Okay, sorry.” S1 placed his hands behind his back but did not initially follow commands to get on his stomach. However, he eventually complied and was safely taken into custody. S1 was identified as a 17-year-old juvenile.
Afterward, S1 was searched by the Deputy, and he was unarmed.
Additional Deputies, arriving in the area to assist, began to set a perimeter and search for S2.
Soon after, a Deputy, going to a perimeter location, noticed a teenage male (S2), approximately 6’00” tall, wearing a gray sweatshirt near 16th Avenue and S. Pines Road. The Deputy exited his fully marked patrol car and advised S2 to stop, saying he was not free to leave and then telling him to sit on the ground. S2 complied and was safely detained. Near S2, the Deputy observed a Red Bull (ice cold) and an empty container of Skittles sitting on the ground. S2 was identified as a 15-year-old juvenile.
A witness confirmed S2 was the second suspect involved in the robbery.
With both suspects located and in custody, Deputies continued to investigate.
The store employee explained that the incident began when the two juveniles entered the store and split up. He observed S2 concealing a beverage in his waistband as S1 approached the front counter and tried to purchase vape cartridges. The employee refused to sell him vape cartridges, and S1 reached toward his waistband, saying, “I have a gun. Put the money in the bag,” as he held up a blue bag.
The employee refused and moved away from the counter. S1 went behind the counter, began messing with the register, grabbed vape cartridges and other items, and placed them in the blue bag. The employee armed himself with a small wooden handle/stick and began hitting S1 with it several times.
S2 fled through the front door to escape as an uninvolved customer entered. The employee yelled for the customer to call 911 while S1 said, “I’m gonna kill you.” And “I’ll shoot you.” as he continued to grab his waistband. The employee continued to fight off S1 until Deputies arrived a short time later. S1 ran toward the back of the store, and he gave chase.
With probable cause established by Deputies, S1 and S2 were advised they were charged with Robbery 1st Degree.
S1 was transported to the hospital as a precaution and later transported and booked into the Spokane County Juvenile Justice Center after being medically cleared.
S2 was transported and booked into the Spokane County Juvenile Justice Center.
Thankfully, no one was injured during this incident.
This Spokane County Sheriff Office news article "Deputies Arrest Two Juvenile Males for Robbery 1st Degree" was originally found on https://www.spokanecounty.org/CivicAlerts.aspx?CID=7