SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. — Spokane County deputies say a person of interest was detained and brought in for questioning in the death of a Spokane Valley teenager, but they were released. Preston Grzogorek, 15, was shot and killed late Monday night near his Spokane Valley apartment complex, according to a family member.
Residents at Village Apartments in Spokane Valley heard multiple gunshots Monday around 10:50 p.m. Some residents went toward the sounds of the gunshots and found the teenager suffering from multiple gunshot wounds, according to Corporal Mark Gregory with the Spokane County Sheriff's Office.
Authorities think the shooting was a part of an ongoing dispute between several people, including the victim. Authorities believe the minor went outside to meet someone and was struck by gunfire, Gregory said.
Grzogorek's older sister Nicole helped her grandmother raise her little brother after her father died in 2019 in a motorcycle accident. She said their bond grew, with her taking on a motherly role.
"I really lost a big piece of me," Nicole Grzogorek said. "I feel like I lost my own son."
She and her grandmother Betty are still in shock, but talked with KREM 2's Morgan Trau about the University High School freshman.
"Preston was just a very outgoing, well rounded individual. Even after losing our dad, he still kept a smile on his face and made sure everyone around him was okay and doing well," Nicole said. "He was very active within the family, his family meant everything to him. He was just a good person, very willing to help others. His smile could just make anyone feel 100 times better."
Preston Grzogorek
Spokane Valley deputies said Preston went outside to meet a person or people and was shot. Deputies, Spokane Valley Fire and AMR provided medical care, but the teenager died at the scene and pronounced dead at about 11 p.m. They believe he knew the suspect he was meeting and was involved in an ongoing conflict with several individuals.
"It hurts knowing the kids out there running loose after taking a brother, a friend and even an uncle," Nicole said. "And I hope we can just get justice for him."
She said the sun is shining today, so she knows her brother made it home.
No arrests have been made. Witnesses saw a person wearing dark clothing running from the scene, according to Gregory. Deputies said there is no danger to the public because they believe the shooting was not random.
Deputies say a K9 unit and a helicopter were also called to help search for the suspects. Major Crimes was called to the scene and is currently investigating multiple people of interest, according to the Spokane Valley Sheriff's Office.
The Spokane Valley Police Department is asking anyone with information on this incident or who could help identify those involved to call Crime Check at 509-456-2233.