(STORY IMAGE:KHQ.COM)
SPOKANE, Wash. -Update: Spokane Police Department SWAT Team officers took a homicide suspect into custody following an afternoon shooting in downtown Spokane. That suspect was identified as 27-year-old Joel C. Taitch. He was found blocks away from the crime scene and booked for 2nd degree murder.
Police say the shooting that happened at 100 N. Washington Street around 5:40 p.m. Passersby gave CPR to the juvenile victim while others followed Taitch from the scene.
Officers located Taitch in a building at 200 W. Spokane Falls Boulevard. SWAT safely evacuated citizens from their nearby rooms while containing Taitch who was still believed to be armed with a handgun.
Taitch eventually surrendered to SWAT and was taken into custody without incident. No citizens, Taitch or officers were injured while making the arrest. Taitch was transported and booked into the Spokane County Jail for Murder 2nd Degree.
SPD had several specialty units in addition to patrol involved in this incident to bring it to conclusion: SWAT, Major Crimes Detectives, Special Victims Unit, Safe Street Task Force and Hostage Negotiators. We appreciate the help from the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team as well.
The identity of the deceased will be released by the Spokane Medical Examiner’s Office once they have completed their examination and once next of kin has been notified.
Update: Hospital officials say the teenage victim shot in downtown Spokane Wednesday evening has died from his injuries.
Police say the suspect in the shooting, who had been on the run since the shooting was reported, has been safely taken into custody after an hours-long search in and around the downtown area.
Neither the suspect nor the victim has been identified at this time.