Kash Amos, a 19-year-old from Spokane, WA, tragically lost his life on April 29, 2021, in a shooting incident near NorthTown Mall. On that fateful night, Amos was a passenger in a Chevrolet Cruze when he was shot in the head by Tayvon A. Koss, who was in the passenger seat of a Dodge Challenger. The incident occurred at the intersection of Lidgerwood Street and Wellesley Avenue, on the southeast edge of the mall.
Amos was quickly transported to Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center, but he was declared dead at 9:40 p.m., approximately one and a half hours after the shooting.
The investigation revealed that the shooting was linked to gang rivalry between the Swavii Crips and the 5th Street gang. Amos' brother, Norvell Amos, had been killed in a drive-by shooting in October 2020, further highlighting the ongoing gang violence. The driver of the Chevrolet Cruze, a known 5th Street gang member, and his girlfriend, who lived in a home targeted in a previous drive-by shooting, were also involved in the incident.
Tayvon A. Koss, who was 17 at the time of the crime, was arrested and charged with first-degree manslaughter. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 100 months in prison by Spokane County Superior Court Judge Tony Hazel. Koss also faced additional charges related to other incidents, including conspiracy to commit first-degree robbery, second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm, and second-degree assault. These sentences were to run concurrently with the manslaughter charge.
The case also saw the arrest of other individuals connected to the shooting. A juvenile suspect was arrested in Kennewick and transferred to the Spokane County Juvenile Detention Center, facing second-degree murder charges. Another suspect, 19-year-old Thurston Scanlon, along with a 14-year-old, were also arrested and charged with second-degree murder.
The tragic death of Kash Amos underscores the severe impact of gang violence in the Spokane area, leading to multiple arrests and ongoing legal proceedings. The community continues to grapple with the loss and the broader implications of such violence.
