Suspect Arrested after Shooting in a Business Parking Lot
Spokane Valley Major Crimes Detectives are investigating a shooting which left one person wounded. The suspect was stopped in a vehicle as he tried to leave the scene and taken into custody. The adult male victim received wounds to his lower leg and foot which appear to be non-life-threatening.
On November 27, 2018 at approximately 6:30 a.m., Spokane Valley Deputies responded to a report of a male with a gun in the parking lot of a business located at 10421 E. Montgomery in Spokane Valley. The caller stated the male, later identified as 50-year-old Eric M. Hyman, was holding the pistol in his hand and provided the male’s description.
Within minutes, another caller reported hearing gunshots before seeing Hyman, armed with a gun, get into a vehicle and leave westbound on Montgomery. Deputies and a Washington State Patrol Trooper arriving in the area observed the suspect vehicle near Argonne and Montgomery. Hyman was taken into custody without incident.
According to Hyman, the victim had previously threatened Hyman and his family’s lives.
This morning, Hyman armed himself before telling his family he was probably going to jail because he wasn’t going to allow the victim to threaten or possibly harm his family. Hyman drove to the business where the victim works and located him near a trailer where the shooting occurred.
Hyman left the scene in a vehicle and was quickly taken into custody by responding Deputies.
Major Crime Detectives were called to the scene to continue the investigation. Hyman told Detectives he wasn’t shooting to kill the victim, he was shooting to teach him a lesson. Two handguns were recovered when Hyman was taken into custody.
Hyman was transported to the Public Safety Building to be interviewed and will be booked into the Spokane County Jail for Assault 1st Degree.
This is an ongoing investigation and additional charges are possible.
Deputy Mark Gregory
Spokane County Sheriff’s Office
Spokane Valley Police Department
Public Information Officer