SPOKANE COUNTY, Wash. — The Spokane County Prosecutor said Spokane County Sheriff deputies Davis French, Ryan Nelson-Felvarg and Thomas Walton will not face criminal charges for using deadly force against Matthew Teears during a standoff in November of 2022.
On November 14, 2022, deputies received calls from multiple people in Greenacres about potential shots fired at a home on East Lindsay Lane.
The prosecutor said Teears owned the home and was a known gun owner, methamphetamine user and had known mental illness issues related to drug use.
Deputies said they tried to contact Teears late that night at the front door, but he did not respond. After getting a search warrant for the home, SWAT was asked to respond.
SWAT arrived at the home around 3:00 a.m. November 15 which started a hours-long standoff.
Deputies tried to get Teears to come out of the home multiple different ways. Teears responded by shooting at the police on scene on multiple occasions.
The prosecutor said a fire broke out on the second floor and Teears tried to leave the home armed with a 9mm pistol. Teears tried to run from police and the deputies used lethal force to prevent his escape.
Teears was pronounced dead at the scene.
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