NorthwestJuly 15, 2003

Man who allegedly threatened sheriff's deputy remains in Seattle hospital

MOSCOW -- The man shot by a Latah County Sheriff's deputy near Genesee last week was charged Monday with assault with the intent to commit murder after he allegedly sized up the armed deputy with a compass, brandished a large knife, assumed a runner's stance and shouted,

"Fifty feet, knife versus gun, I'm coming to kill you."

Sa'id Jihad Yusuf, 29, also known as Luke Rapp, remained listed in serious condition at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle with four gunshot wounds to his abdomen, right arm, thumb and wrist. A warrant for his arrest has been issued and bond set at $10,000.

Cpl. Phil Gray, the deputy who fired multiple rounds at Yusuf, remains on paid administrative leave pending completion of an in-house review, said Latah County Sheriff Jeff Crouch. Court records do not indicate whether anyone witnessed the shooting.

"Yusuf then charged towards Gray with the knife raised in a stabbing position," wrote Idaho State Police Investigator Lyle Bolon, who reviewed the incident at the request of Crouch. "Gray stated to me that Yusuf was holding the knife in a very threatening manner and at the time the knife appeared to be as big as a Samurai sword."

Yusuf, who was born in Clarkston, raised in Wallace and attended the University of Idaho, has a history of run-ins with the law as well as treatment for mental problems.

Gray, a 10-year veteran, was dispatched to a location 5 miles north of Genesee last Tuesday about 5:38 a.m. where motorists on U.S. Highway 95 reported a man wearing a blanket and yellow backpack was darting in and out of traffic. Yusuf had been arrested for a similar incident on the same highway three months earlier. At that time, a deputy subdued him with a Taser gun, pepper spray and help from a backup officer. According to a report, Yusuf had shouted that he was "fried on LSD" and was an "atom bomb" about to go off.

Last week, according to a probable cause affidavit filed by Bolon, Yusuf shouted, "I am Zoltar. You're in my way, demon." Zoltar is a fictitious fortune teller perhaps best known as residing in a coin-operated fortune-telling machine in the Tom Hanks comedy movie titled "Big."

According to Bolon's affidavit, Gray stopped his patrol car and told Yusuf to drop the knife, but Yusuf made an obscene gesture and ignored the command. About three years ago, Yusuf was arrested and charged with stealing a cab at knifepoint. Charges in that case were eventually dropped when the driver couldn't be found to testify, according to court records.

"Upon being ordered again to drop the knife," Bolon wrote about last week's shooting incident, "Yusuf dropped his backpack and black leather jacket he had been carrying." The suspect then moved a 13-inch chef's knife with an 8-inch blade from his left to right hand and then took a compass he had attached to a lanyard around his neck and pointed it at Gray.

"When this compass lines up, I'm going to kill you," Yusuf allegedly told Gray, according to the affidavit. "Yusuf then went into a runner's starter stance" and charged. Gray continued to shout at Yusuf to drop the weapon as the suspect came at him. "When Yusuf continued to run forward he (Gray) shot him with his duty weapon."

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Gray carried a .40-caliber Glock semi-automatic and, according to the affidavit, fired multiple times.

"Gray told me that the reason he shot was that he was in fear for his life," Bolon wrote. "According to Gray, Yusuf flinched but continued charging with Gray continuing to fire."

Apparently wounded at least three times, Yusuf is said to have gone around the patrol car and resumed the attack from behind. "You're out of bullets now motherf-----, I'm gonna f----- kill you," Yusuf said, according to the affidavit. At the time, according to Bolon's report, the suspect was within 10 to 12 feet of Gray.

"Gray fired once more and Yusuf fell at the rear of his vehicle," the affidavit read. The last shot is thought to have struck Yusuf in the abdomen, according to a report. Gray then called for an ambulance and together with a backup officer who arrived after the shooting administered first aid. Yusuf was taken by ambulance to St. Joseph Regional Medical Center at Lewiston before being flown to Harborview, where he remained Monday in an intensive care unit.

Sheriff Crouch declined comment about his deputy's actions, pending completion of his administrative review possibly within a week. Gray's identity had been kept secret until Bolon completed his review. Gray, according to Crouch, does not want to speak with the media.

Latah County Prosecutor William Thompson said the assault charge carries a potentially longer prison sentence than attempted murder. The latter has a maximum of 15 years. The assault against a police officer has a maximum of 20 years and the possibility of an additional 15 years if a charge for use of a weapon is filed.

Yusuf has a history of arrests for allegations ranging from assault and window peeping, to trespassing and destruction of property. In almost all the cases, however, the charges have been dropped "in the interest of justice," according to records. He's been committed for psychiatric evaluation and treatment at least twice. In the highway incident three months ago, charges were dropped, according to records, because Yusuf exhibited a "lack of capacity to form intent."

Thompson said the intent to commit a crime "varies as to various crimes." In last week's incident, said Thompson, "the only intent he has to form is the intent to murder somebody."

Crouch said the warrant for Yusuf's arrest will most likely be served at the hospital by authorities in the Seattle area. It remains unclear whether he will be held for an extradition hearing before being returned to Latah County.

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Johnson may be contacted at deveryone@potlatch.com

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