Submitted by Fox First at Ten on September 8th
Spokane Police Department Press Release:
Spokane Police Officers responded to a report that a subject pulled a gun on a cab driver near the Northpointe Safeway store. Officers located the suspect and made an arrest for First Degree Assault.
On September 7th, 2012, at approximately 11:57 pm, Spokane Police Officers responded to a report that a male had pulled and pointed a gun at a cab driver by the Safeway at the Northpointe Shopping Center. The cab driver himself was the complainant and he stated that the suspect had been in his cab with three other males and a female.
He updated responding officers that the males all fled on foot and to their current locations. Because of the location and the nature of the crime, Spokane County Sheriff's Office Deputies and Washington State Patrol Troopers responded to assist SPD officers. WSP Trooper Greg Riddell arrived on scene and located and detained one of the males near the Shopko. He discovered two handguns in backpack on this person.
SPD K-9 Officer Dan Lesser arrived to assist Trooper Riddell. Officer Lesser and Trooper Riddell then located a second suspect, who was identified by the cab driver as the person with the gun. This suspect, identified as Jahvoryn Kinard, an 18 year old male from Spokane, refused to obey the officer's commands and kept reaching toward his pants pockets and waistband. Officers detained Kinard. SPD officers and SCSO deputies located and detained the other two subjects near the Wal-mart store. SPD Officer Sam Chimienti conducted an investigation which revealed all four males and a female were being transported in the cab when Kinard and the female began arguing.
The cab driver stopped the cab and Kinard escalated his behavior into a potential assault on the female. The cab driver pulled out a stun gun in order to deter Kinard from physically assaulting the female. Kinard then pulled out a handgun, pointed it at the cab driver, and threatened to shoot him.
The cab driver, who has a concealed pistol license, pulled out his own handgun to defend himself and Kinard ran away. Officer Chimienti arrest Kinard for First Degree Assault and booked into the Spokane County Jail. The other three males and the female were released with no criminal charges.
