In the late afternoon of May 4, 2019, the life of 25-year-old Ethan Austin Murray, a Caucasian male, came to a tragic end in a wooded area in Spokane Valley, Washington. Murray, who struggled with mental illness and drug addiction, was fatally shot by a Spokane County Sheriff's deputy.
Leading up to the shooting, deputies responded to a 911 call from the Parkside at Mirabeau apartments regarding a man, later identified as Murray, who was reportedly acting "very high" and running near
children. Upon arrival, Deputy Joseph Wallace located Murray, who then fled into a nearby wooded area where he had been living in a makeshift camp.
A confrontation ensued between Wallace and Murray. According to the deputy's account, Murray was not complying with commands and appeared to be reaching for something in his pocket. Believing Murray was retrieving a weapon, Wallace fired his service weapon multiple times, striking and killing him. An autopsy would later reveal that Murray had been shot six times.
Subsequent investigation by the Spokane Investigative Regional Response Team revealed that Ethan Murray was unarmed at the time of the shooting. The object he had pulled from his pocket was a pair of black sunglasses, not a knife as the deputy had perceived. Despite the lack of a weapon, the Spokane County Prosecutor's Office determined that Deputy Wallace's use of lethal force was justified, stating he had a reasonable fear for his life.
In the aftermath of their son's death, Murray's family filed a civil rights lawsuit against Spokane County and Deputy Wallace. In March 2022, the county agreed to a $1 million settlement with the family, although they did not admit liability. Following this, Ethan's mother became a vocal advocate for better mental health resources and police training for dealing with individuals in crisis. No arrests were made in connection with Ethan Murray's death as the shooting was deemed justified by the prosecutor's office.
