Bloglander

You don’t judge your neighbors based on one unfortunate incident involving gunshots and injuries. You judge them based on their courtesy over time.

And when they aren’t shooting each other or inspiring their neighbors to call the police (as they have 19 times since 2013), the Hells Angels are good neighbors.

The most recent 911 call came in Sunday at 11:30 am. Witnesses reported hearing five or six shots fired. Police arrived at the clubhouse on East Sprague soon after, only to learn that the victim had transported himself to the hospital with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound.

When police caught up with the victim at the hospital, he was focused on his recovery and not interested in debriefing with them about the shooting. Though the victim is not cooperating, the Spokane Police Department's Major Crimes and Gang Unit is chasing down a few leads. SPD does not believe the shooter poses a danger to the public at large.

Since the shooting, KREM 2 has been covering the story from every angle. Historical perspective? Check. Charitable behavior? Check. Neighborhood reputation? KREM 2 hit the ground to investigate that, too.

Charitable works
The Hells Angels recently donated 26 bicycles to children at the Union Gospel Mission. Also, they once got a woman who didn’t make it into the shelter a hotel room across the street.

History
Federal agents raided the clubhouse in March 2011 and turned up six loaded firearms and two bags of marijuana within 15 feet of a convicted felon. Before that, in the early 2000s, group associates were accused of extortion, drug-running and killing a Spokane Valley meth cook.

Neighborly behavior
Monday KREM 2 went down and interviewed women outside the Union Gospel Mission’s Crisis Shelter. The shelter residents painted a portrait of a group of guardian angels next door. Descriptions included “not rugged and mean”, “protective” and “gentlemanly”.

One woman described an incident where an unsavory man was following her back to the shelter. The Hells Angels asked her if she was okay and she told them the guy was following her.

“So they said, o.k., we'll take care of that for you,” she told KREM 2.

So are they guardian angels or Hells Angels? The vote is still out.