An investigation into a South Hill shooting could have turned explosive Friday night when detectives discovered a suspicious device in a car connected to the crime.
On Thursday, a 35-year-old man was shot in the stomach near Sixth Ave. and Elm St. Detectives said the victim underwent surgery and his expected to survive his injuries.
The white four-door sedan the victim was riding in was impounded and taken to the police evidence garage. On Friday, Sgt. Dan Ervin, of the Spokane Police Department, came across what looked like an improvised explosive device in the trunk as he processed the car for evidence.
"So, we basically stopped what we were doing, made sure the area was clear and safe so the public wouldn't be in harm's way and we contacted the bomb squad and have them come and address the issue with the device," said Ervin.
The bomb squad said the device appeared to be a variation of a pipe bomb. The device was dismantled and will be analyzed to determine what it was made of and how much damage it was intended to cause.
"This is an investigation that has many aspects to it. It doesn't necessarily change our focus of the investigation. It just adds another element, potentially another criminal element," said Ervin.
Ervin said police are still looking for suspects, but believe the crimes may be gang-related. If you have any information, call (509) 625-GANG (4264).
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