Alleged home invasion leads to fatal shooting

POST FALLS — A 24-year-old male who was a suspected intruder of a home just south of Post Falls died as a result of an apparent shooting early Monday morning, according to the Kootenai County Sheriff's Office.

The name of the suspected intruder wasn't released on Monday due to pending next-of-kin notifications.

The names of a male and female who had been sleeping inside the home in the 900 block of south Spokane Street when the suspected intruder entered the home are not being released because they’re the suspected victims.

Craig Young, who owns the home, told The Press his renters didn't know the suspected intruder.

"No connection with him at all," Young said. "They didn't have any idea who he was."

Young, who is out of town, said the intruder appeared to be destroying items rather than stealing them.

"The renter said he screamed at him to get out when (the intruder charged at him with an item)," Young said.

Young said the renters had just moved in.

"They're young, pretty shook up and hard workers," Young said. "This is the first house they've rented together and are planning on getting married."

Young said he doesn't think his renters were injured.

Young said the intruder apparently broke into the garage before entering the home. He entered the property on foot, he said.

The occupants are staying with a relative, Young said.

Deputies responded to the home at 1:30 a.m. for a 911 report of a shooting.

Upon their arrival, deputies discovered the man dead inside the home from apparent gunshot wounds.

Major crime detectives from the KCSO responded and started their investigation into the incident.

"Preliminary, the investigation indicates a male and female were sleeping inside the residence and were awakened by loud crashing noises coming from inside their home," a KCSO press release states. "The male resident discovered an intruder had forced his way into the home through a door and was continuing to damage property inside.

"The resident confronted the intruder verbally telling him to leave. After being told several times to leave, the intruder, who also appears to have been armed during the incident, began aggressing both residents."

The male resident fired "several" rounds from a handgun, which ultimately stopped the intruder, the release states.

The KCSO provided no additional information on Monday.

KCSO Public Information Officer Dennis Stinebaugh declined to say whether the man and woman who had been asleep were injured or if the suspected intruder had drawn his gun or fired it.

"We are not releasing any information about the victims at this time," he said, also declining to release any information about evidence found at the scene.

The incident was the third shooting in the Post Falls area this month. Two of the incidents occurred in the county just outside city limits, while the other was inside the city.

The home is in a timbered area off Spokane Street.

There is a zoning public hearing regarding the site on Thursday and a posted notice on the property. A Kootenai County planner said Monday afternoon that the hearing is still slated and that the request has not been controversial.

Young's request is to rezone a 4.3-acre parcel from agricultural suburban to commercial for an RV park. Young said he doesn't believe the shooting is related to the zone request, but an unfortunate random incident.