Trio of men accused of robbing, shooting man behind West Central home
A 32-year-old man said he was pistol whipped, tackled to the ground by two armed, masked men and then shot in the chest in an alleged attempted robbery last week outside a West Central Spokane home, according to court documents.
Tyler P. Weber, 39, faces attempted first-degree robbery, second-degree assault and second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm charges. Weber has six felony convictions.
The gunshot victim told police he was at his friends' house, 2723 W. Gardner Ave., around 5:30 a.m. June 26 when he went outside to investigate why an outdoor surveillance camera wasn't working, court records show. Just prior to this, a man knocked on the front door to the home, but he didn't recognize the man and didn't answer the door.
As the victim opened the back door to investigate, the dogs at the house immediately ran to the fence near the garage and started barking, leading him to believe someone was near the garage, the victim said. He approached the gate and noticed a door to a red Mazda pickup was open. He went through the gate and was confronted by two men wearing black masks.
He recognized one man by voice, build and mannerisms as Weber, he told police. He knew him as a friend of his friends who live at the Gardner home. He said Weber pistol whipped him behind his ear. He didn't know the other man with Weber, who was also armed with a pistol.
Both suspects forced him to the ground where they attempted to remove items from his pockets. He said he was able to retain his wallet, cash and cellphone.
During the alleged assault, he heard Weber tell him to "shut the dogs up" and then he heard a gunshot. The victim ran back to the home with a gunshot wound. He was unsure which man shot him.
Medical staff at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center indicated the wound was not life-threatening, a police detective said in court documents.
One of the other occupants of the home shared a similar account. He watched on another camera monitor as the victim went outside to find out why the camera was not working and got in a struggle with a person wearing all black, a mask and gloves. The victim then ran back toward the home saying he was shot.
The witness told police he gave chase to the two suspects who left through the alley on foot but was unable to find them.
The witness and another occupant of the home told police they know Weber and used to hang out with him and his girlfriend. They said Weber stole an electric bicycle from their backyard several weeks ago, but Weber denied it when the pair confronted him.
Police learned one of the suspects cut the wires that powered the camera facing the alley, according to court documents. Police also found a spent 9 mm shell casing nearby.
Detectives watched surveillance video and identified the man at the front door prior to the shooting as 26-year-old Simon S. Ben, according to court documents. Ben has a Seattle Mariners tattoo on his neck, which was visible in the video. He has a Department of Corrections warrant for first-degree robbery unrelated to last week's incident.
Ben was sentenced in 2023 to nearly four years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit first-degree robbery and vehicle theft in relation to the murder of 37-year-old Allyson R. Davis in 2021 in Spokane Valley.
Kayla J. Holden was sentenced in 2022 to 17 years in prison for pulling the trigger, killing Davis. Holden's boyfriend, Jerome Lee Jr., was sentenced in 2024 to seven years in prison for robbery and manslaughter for his role in the killing.
Police wrote that surveillance video showed Ben walking to the detached shop at the back of the Gardner home while two other people were waiting nearby. Ben then appeared to motion the other two masked men as if telling them the coast is clear to approach, police wrote.
Ben then walked down the alley and the other two masked men hiding behind the garage emerged.
One video captures the sound of the shooting in the alley. One of the two masked men can be seen with a gun in his hand. The victim then ran back toward the house and the masked men fled down the alley.
Police developed probable cause to arrest Ben and the other unidentified man with first-degree assault and first-degree robbery, according to court documents. It does not appear the two men have been arrested as of Thursday.
Police found Weber driving Sunday and arrested him. He declined to speak with police.
Weber made his first appearance Monday in Spokane County Superior Court and had his initial arraignment Thursday. He is scheduled for trial next month.
Weber remained Thursday in Spokane County Jail on a $100,000 bond.
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