Spokane Police Identify Officers Involved in Fatal Shooting

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — The names of three Spokane officers involved in the shooting death of a man who was armed with a knife outside a homeless shelter have been released.

KREM-TV reports that Spokane police identified the officers as Chris LeQuire, Ryan Akins, and Brandon Lynch. The three men have a combined 16 years of experience with the Spokane Police Department.

The officers had responded to a report of a suicidal man on April 28 when they found 45-year-old Michael Kurtz outside the shelter.

Police say officers had tried to talk to Kurtz and that he started walking toward them with the knife.

One of the officers unsuccessfully used a Taser on Kurtz, and police say he continued toward the officers.

Officers Lynch and Akins then fired their weapons, killing Kurtz.