Slain Spokane teen’s friends remember him for his humor and kindness

Ariana Lake by Ariana Lake

A group of teens is mourning the loss of a friend after he was shot to death in downtown Spokane Wednesday.

Multiple friends identified 15-year-old Eddie Daniels III as the teen killed. They said he was a sophomore at Lewis and Clark High School and a friend to many.

“He’s just a really sweet, genuine person,” Esa Leal said. “If you were having a bad day, you just went and talked to Eddie after school and there he was to brighten up your day.”

Now, that source of light is gone.

“If I could just talk to him once more time, I would just want to tell him how much he really meant,” Leal said.

According to police, Joel C. Taitch, 27, shot and killed Daniels Wednesday night. Court documents said he came up to Daniels and his friends in downtown Spokane and asked if they wanted to buy a marijuana pipe.

Witnesses said there was a fight over the pipe and later, Taitch threatened some of the people who were with Daniels with a gun.

In court Thursday, the defense argued it was Daniels and his friends who chased after Taitch.

Witnesses said Taitch was hiding behind a car near West Main and North Washington Street when he fired a gun. A bullet hit Daniels and killed him.

Authorities later arrested him in a nearby building. It was there that they said they found a pistol and a note addressed to “mom” with details fo the shooting.

While the investigation continues, Leal hopes his family knows one thing.

“I just want them to know that he has a whole bunch of people that are behind him right now that really are going to miss him a lot and we all care for him and we won’t ever let his name die,” Leal said.

According to the Spokane School District, a crisis team was on campus Thursday for staff and students. There will also be extra counselors there Friday.

This is a text I got from a friend of the young man shot to death in Spokane yesterday. She and other friends tell me his name is Eddie Daniels III and that he always was making people laugh. He was 15. #KXLY #Spokane pic.twitter.com/EF03TCua46 — Ariana Lake (@arianaKXLY) October 18, 2018

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