SPOKANE, Wash. — The man charged in connection to a drive-by shooting in downtown Spokane has entered a not guilty plea to several charges.
29-year-old Johnathan R. Love appeared in court on Monday afternoon. A judge kept his bond at $1 million.
Prosecutors say Love shot three people outside Lucky’s Bar early Saturday morning. He faces three counts of drive-by shooting and three counts of first-degree assault. Prosecutors expect to upgrade these charges if any of the three shooting victims succumb to their injuries.
Spokane police had previously said on Saturday that two of the victims had died. On Monday, police confirmed that the two victims who were thought to be dead are rather in critical condition with life-threatening injuries.
"We regret the initial information about the condition of two of the victims was incorrect and ask that you join us in keeping them and their loved ones in your thoughts and prayers," police said in a press release.
Court documents reveal new details about the shooting. Witnesses told police the shooter was driving the wrong way on Sprague Avenue when they opened fire shortly before 1:30 a.m. on Saturday outside Lucky’s Bar. Three people were shot.
The victims include a taxi cab driver who was sitting in her vehicle when she was shot and a man who was shot while standing in front of Lucky’s. Both victims were shot in the head according to court documents.
The third victim was also standing in front of the bar when she was shot in the leg. Court documents say she suffered a compound bone fracture but is expected to survive. That victim currently has a GoFundMe page set to help fund her recovery.
Police said “numerous” shell casings were found along Sprague between Washington and Stevens.
Police tracked down the suspect, Love, with help from a partial license plate. An officer in the area of the shooting spotted an SUV driving erratically and was trying to pull it over when he was advised of the shooting. The officer noted the first three digits of the license plate as BVW.
About 10 minutes later, a state trooper was passed on Highway 2 by an SUV that was speeding. It had plates matching the SUV spotted near the shooting scene. The Trooper pulled over the vehicle that had Love inside in Airway Heights.
The trooper stated when he opened the driver's side door he spotted a shell casing on the front driver's floorboard, according to court documents.
A detective said Love appeared intoxicated and vomited numerous times.
According to court documents, Love claimed he had left Lucky’s with friends and dropped them off at their homes. He said he was driving to another friend’s house when he was pulled over.
During another police interview, later in the day, Love said he had been with two friends. He dropped one off at their house and then went to Lucky’s. Love stated his friend was asked to leave the bar due to his behavior. Love said he drove his friend home and the next thing he remembers is being pulled over in Airway Heights.
Surveillance footage from nearby businesses shows a person matching Love’s description getting into the suspect vehicle, according to court documents. The SUV then drives out of a parking lot and about 70 seconds later drives eastbound on Sprague as shots are fired.