SPOKANE, Wash. – Days after he was shot and killed by a Spokane Police officer after an altercation inside Walmart, the family of 34-year-old Kerry Jones-Hilburg is shedding light on the person he was, aside from his criminal history.
“He was a friend of many, many people,” Michelle Williams said. “He was the kind of person who if you were in trouble at three in the morning, he would show up.”
As the investigation intensifies into the specifics of Jones-Hilburg’s death, more information is coming to the surface on the suspected shoplifter after he was eventually shot and killed December 3.
According to initial information gained at the scene from witnesses, one Spokane Police officer was working a shoplifting prevention special emphasis at the Walmart on North Colton Street when he noticed Jones-Hilburg allegedly attempting to steal from the store.
The officer called for backup, and when the other officer arrived the two approached Jones-Hilburg after he passed all points of sale and began to exit Walmart. This led to a physical and violent confrontation, with Jones-Hilburg resisting the officers’ attempts to place him into handcuffs. Tasers were deployed, but this did not seem to be effective.
According to a press release from the Spokane Independent Investigative Response Team (SIIR Team), who is taking lead on the investigation, at some point, someone yelled “gun,” and just before approximately 10:30 am, one of the SPD officers advised shots had been fired, and the suspect was struck.
Despite life-saving efforts, Jones-Hilburg died on scene. Close friends and family say the 34-year-old meant a great deal to a great number of people.
“We all miss him together,” Kylie Colvin said.
“This whole community is full of people that love him and care about him and are absolutely devastated by this,” Williams said.
Kylie Colvin is Michelle Williams’ oldest daughter. Michelle Williams shares a child with Jones-Hilburg. The two women say if Hilburg cared about you, you received his whole heart. He was a fatherly figure to Colvin her entire life.
“I’ve never experienced a loss like this in my life,” Colvin said. “I’m not sure I will ever, ever again, because of the kind of person he was and the position he played in my life.”
Jones-Hilburg is the biological father of six children. Williams and Colvin say his love stretched far, and it was loyal. However, he did struggle at times with the law.
Looking into Jones-Hilburg’s criminal history, we found multiple charges from the past. In 2016, he was charged with one count of 2nd Degree Assault with a Deadly Weapon. Going as far back as 2008, he was convicted of four drug charges and one theft charge.
Despite a troubling past, Williams said Jones-Hilburg was turning his life around for the better and has been in a good spot for a long time.
“That was a different time in his life, he was doing really well,” she said. “We all fall down sometimes.”
Doing better, until the day that changed this family’s life forever.
“I’m just very, very sad that he’s gone,” Colvin said.
The family has set up a GoFundMe to help guide Jones-Hilburg’s six children through next steps, as they were caught in the middle of all of this. If you feel a pull to help, click here.
The investigation into Jones-Hilburg’s death is ongoing, including details on why or when the SPD officer shot and killed him after their physical altercation. The identity of the officer has yet to be released by SPD.
Anyone who witnessed this incident, recorded it, or has information that could assist the SIIR Team and has yet to be contacted by law enforcement is asked to call Crime Check at 509-456-2233, reference case number #10180498.
