SPOKANE, Wash. — Friends and teammates are grieving the loss of a beloved roller derby player who was shot and killed Saturday at Eastern State Hospital during what investigators believe was part of a violent crime spree.
Colleen Hendrickson Bass, who went by the derby name “Bombasstic” on the Lilac City Roller Derby Team was identified by family and friends as the victim of the early Saturday shooting.
“Just how kind and thoughtful she was. And bright, like that smile, man. She had a great smile,” said Jenna Carroll, Bass’s friend and teammate.
The shooting occurred during what authorities describe as a crime spree that began with a brush fire set near Medical Lake High School. Deputies were then called to a break-in several miles away, where a man was firing shots while people hid in their home. While deputies responded to that intrusion, they heard gunshots across the lake at Eastern State Hospital.
The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office responded to Eastern State Hospital after someone called 911 reporting that an employee had been shot in the parking lot. Friends identified Bass as the victim. When deputies arrived, shots were exchanged with the suspect, who was found dead at the scene.
Bass worked at the hospital. Teammates say they remember her talking about her job and the people she worked with during roller derby practice.
She was known for her distinctive pink helmet and infectious smile on the team.
“She would get just a little bit faster, just a little bit more agile. And you could see her just light up when she would get it or she would block someone just a little bit better,” Carroll said, describing Bass’s dedication to improving her derby skills.
The investigation has been handed over to the Spokane Independent Investigative Response Team because a sheriff’s deputy was involved in the shooting. The team hopes to provide an update on the investigation Tuesday. The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office says it will release the name of the deputy involved later this week.
For Bass’s friends and teammates, the loss leaves a visible void on the derby rink.
“I think it will be like that for a while. Like, we will look for that pink helmet and that pack for a second. It’s not going to be there,” Carroll said.
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