Deputy: Pastor who was shot had gun

The deputy who shot and killed a pastor in Green Acres, Wash., on Aug. 25 said the suspect had a gun in his hand and refused to drop it.

Spokane County Sheriff's Office Deputy Brian Hirzel, who lives in Hayden and previously worked at the Kootenai County Sheriff's Department, shot Greenacres Baptist Church Pastor Wayne Scott Creach, 74, after a confrontation in the parking lot of Creach's Spokane Valley nursery business, according to Spokane police.

Police said that earlier in the day, a citizen living in the area of 14200 E. Fourth Ave. requested police checks throughout the night.

For the second time that evening, Hirzel responded to the call for service. At 11 p.m. he parked his unmarked patrol car in the gravel lot in front of the Plant Farm.

In Hirzel's statement to detectives, he said he backed into the lot to obtain a visual perspective of Fourth Avenue while remaining close to the initial call for service.

According to a press release, Hirzel described the incident as follows:

"He was sitting in his patrol car with the parking lights on and the window rolled down. He was completing some paperwork on his computer when he saw a flash of light from his left. He looked and saw Mr. Creach with a gun in his right hand.

"While still in his patrol car, Deputy Hirzel drew his gun and pointed it at Mr. Creach identifying himself as a police officer, ordering Creach to drop the gun several times. Mr. Creach refused to comply and continued walking toward the deputy; at one point Mr. Creach mentioned he had had things stolen in the past.

"When Mr. Creach got within 2-1/2 to 3 feet of the deputy's driver's door, the deputy continued to order him to back away from the car and drop his gun. Creach backed up and put the handgun behind his back, tucked in his waistband. The deputy was able to get out of his car at which point Mr. Creach refused his commands to get on the ground.

"The deputy struck Creach in the knee with his baton causing Creach to buckle but not fall. Mr. Creach then reached for his gun at which point the deputy fired a single shot striking Creach in the chest. Creach died at the scene."

An investigation continues.