Man gets four years in prison for tying up, robbing man at gunpoint before being shot by victim in Spokane Valley

Garrett Cabeza, The Spokesman-Review, Spokane, Wash.
·2 min read
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Apr. 25—A 28-year-old man who tied up and robbed a man before the victim shot him in the leg at a Spokane Valley apartment was sentenced to four years in prison, according to court documents.

Luke J. Payne, a convicted felon, pleaded guilty last month to first-degree robbery and second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm before Spokane County Superior Court Judge Dean Chuang sentenced him.

The victim told police he and Payne were sitting on the couch shortly after midnight May 17, 2022, at the victim's apartment, 6121 E. Sixth Ave., according to documents. The victim said Payne punched him in the face and zapped him with a stun gun several times. Payne then took the man's pistol and pointed it at him.

The victim told police Payne started stealing jewelry from the apartment before forcing the man into his bedroom at gunpoint. He said Payne bound his hands and feet behind his back and used a brown belt to choke him. The victim broke free of the restraints and started taking off the belt, according to documents.

The man told police Payne forced him at gunpoint to a neighboring apartment unit, which Payne shared with his girlfriend, and put him in the closet. Payne's girlfriend escorted him at gunpoint back to his apartment.

The victim told police he saw Payne removing guns from a locked wooden gun case. The girlfriend gave the pistol back to Payne, who again pointed the gun at the victim, according to documents.

Fearing Payne would kill him, the victim lunged for his .45 caliber pistol on the bed when Payne turned away.

He and Payne struggled for the gun, but eventually he shot Payne, he told police. He continued to "struggle" with Payne and tried to pull the trigger again, but it malfunctioned. He held Payne at gunpoint until police arrived.

A detective recovered a black stun gun, brown leather belt, several firearms, a possible bullet fragment, a .45 caliber fired cartridge casing and several cellphones from the apartment, according to documents. A deputy took a .45 caliber pistol from the victim.

Payne was taken to a hospital for the gunshot wound that broke his right femur, court records show.

The victim said Payne is a member of the Severely Violent Criminals gang, according to documents.

Payne will serve 18 months of community custody when he's released from prison.