x
Breaking News
More () »

'I want this guy off the streets': E. Central resident fearful after seeing man with knife

Officers say they viewed a video of the suspect entering a gated yard and walking up to the door with an open knife in his hand.

Editor's note: A previous version of this story said the man approached multiple homes. Police have since confirmed that they were unable to find reports of other incidents in the area. 

SPOKANE, Wash. — Spokane police are asking for the public’s help in identifying an armed man suspected of approaching a home in the East Central neighborhood.

On Tuesday, Spokane police received a call about a suspicious person with a knife on the 3500 block of East 4th Avenue.

When officers arrived on scene, they viewed video of the suspect entering a gated yard and walking up to the door with an open knife in his hand. Police say the suspect did this more than once.

The residents living in the home did not know the man wanted in connection with the incident, police said.

Spokane Police Sgt. Terry Preuninger said police have not taken any other reports of similar incidents in the area but encouraged people to see any suspicious behavior to report it to authorities. 

A user on the Ring app first posted about the incident on Saturday.

“He came up to the door to scope things out and left towards Fred Meyers [sic] gas station minutes later,” the user wrote.

The same user posted another video of the man approaching the house on Wednesday night and said he had been “caught in multiple videos.”

Police described the suspect as a white man, around 32 years old, with a medium build.

Credit: Spokane Police
Suspect who approached houses with knife
Credit: Spokane Police
Photo of the suspect accused of approaching homes with a knife

The Ring user, Kristen Tesarik, who lives at the home on 4th Avenue spoke with KREM on Thursday morning, saying neither she or her roommate were in their home when the man first approached it on July 12. 

She said she had returned home less than 10 minutes before the man approached their home for the second time.

"He took pictures of her [my roommate's] car in one of the videos. You can see him look at us through the kitchen window," Tesarik added.

She told KREM that she and her roommate are installing another camera at the home and are searching for another place to live. 

"If people in our neighborhood don't have a camera, it's definitely a good investment because that's how we catch people like this," Tesarik said. 

Neighbors in the area have also experienced crime and vandalism, including a broken window from a stray bullet and spray painting on property, Tesarik added.

"Our neighbors who moved into a house across the street from us said they thought this was an up-and-coming neighborhood but it’s been anything but," Tesarik said.

Preuninger was unable to provide specific data about crime in the East Central neighborhood but said that spikes in violent crimes in specific areas are not uncommon. 

Those who know the man or have more information about the incident are asked to call Crime Check at 509-465-2233 and reference Case No. 2019-20132394.

"I want this guy off the streets because he's dangerous. You don't have a knife if you're not looking to hurt someone, in my opinion," Tesarik said. 

RELATED: Second person shot in less than a month in E. Central Spokane, police say

RELATED: E. Central shooting victim was 'increasingly agitated' night of death, docs say

RELATED: E. Central shooting victim crawled through strangers' apartment window, docs say

Before You Leave, Check This Out