In the pre-dawn hours of February 2, 2024, the life of a 30-year-old Caucasian male, Dylan McCorkle, was tragically cut short in Spokane, Washington. The fatal encounter unfolded shortly after 2:00 AM in the Logan Neighborhood, at a residence located at the corner of Hamilton Street and Jackson Avenue. Responding to reports of a shooting, police discovered McCorkle deceased on the lawn outside the home, having sustained a single gunshot wound to the head.
Witnesses at the scene painted a
picture of a tense confrontation preceding the shooting. McCorkle was reportedly seen pacing and appeared agitated, yelling for a man named Gunnar Doughty to come outside. The dispute stemmed from allegations that Doughty had disrespected McCorkle's girlfriend and was connected to a theft of approximately $100. Despite warnings from a witness that Doughty was likely armed, McCorkle persisted in calling him out. When Doughty emerged from the house, witnesses heard McCorkle taunt him with the words, "What are you going to do, shoot me?". Immediately after, Doughty allegedly fired one shot, striking McCorkle in the head before fleeing the scene.
The search for the suspect, identified as 32-year-old Gunnar M. Doughty, a five-time felon, concluded on February 8, 2024. Law enforcement, including members of the U.S. Marshals, located him at a home just six blocks from the scene of the shooting. Doughty refused to surrender, leading to a prolonged standoff with the SWAT team. After barricading himself inside a crawl space, authorities deployed chemical agents, which successfully forced him out. Doughty was then arrested without further incident.
Following his arrest, Gunnar Doughty was booked into the Spokane County Jail and charged with second-degree murder and first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm, with his bond set at $1 million. In March 2025, a jury found Doughty guilty of second-degree murder. During the trial, his defense argued that he acted in self-defense, claiming McCorkle had assumed a threatening stance. However, the prosecution countered this by emphasizing that McCorkle was unarmed and had his hands in the air when he was shot.
