By Steve Neavling
A 25-year-old man who shot an undercover ATF agent in Spokane, Wash., in November 2021 pleaded guilty to federal charges Tuesday.
Randy Holmes, a Tacoma native and convicted felon, shot the agent multiple times in the parking lot of a Motel 6, causing “serious and permanent bodily injuries, The Spokesman-Review reports.
Holmes believed he was making a gun purchase when the shooting occurred. While in the car with an undercover agent, Holmes pointed a handgun at the agent’s head, demanding the firearm.
The agent said the gun was in the back of the car.
When Holmes exited the car, the agent demanded that Holmes drop the gun, according to court records.
Holmes then exchanged gunfire with the agent, striking him multiple times. Holmes was shot 11 times, according to his lawyer.
“This tragic case demonstrates the danger and violence that too frequently occurs when convicted felons possess firearms and engage in illegal drug trafficking,” Vanessa Waldref, U.S. attorney for Eastern Washington, said in a statement Tuesday. “I am grateful for the exceptional courage and bravery of law enforcement officers, who put their personal safety at risk to protect our community, and I commend the ATF agents involved for their exceptional professionalism in rendering life-saving aid to Mr. Holmes before he could be treated at a hospital. Our community is stronger as a result of these agents’ tremendous service.”
Before accepting the guilty plea, Holmes and his attorney argued he was “set up” by a confidential informant who held a grudge against Holmes.
Under the plea agreement, prosecutors agreed to seek no more than 24 years in prison for Holmes.
