Spokane Valley Man Charged With Attempted Murder and Animal Cruelty After Violent Retaliation Over Stolen Trailer

Tyler Peterson, 30, faces assault and animal cruelty charges in Spokane Valley. Read about the shooting linked to a stolen trailer and tire slashing dispute.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 6, 2026, 7:10 AM EST

Source: The information in this article was sourced from The Spokesman-Review

A Premeditated Ambush in the Early Morning

Law enforcement officials in Spokane Valley have detailed a calculated early morning attack that nearly claimed the life of a local resident. According to court documents, 30 year old Tyler L. Peterson allegedly orchestrated an ambush at a residence on East Cowley Avenue, using a third party driver to arrive at the scene under the guise of a business transaction. Witnesses reported that Peterson lured Bryson Snell out of his home shortly before 5:00 a.m. on Wednesday, at which point a physical struggle ensued within a vehicle before multiple gunshots were fired from a .380 caliber semiautomatic pistol.

The Fatal Cost to a Family Pet

The violence of the encounter extended beyond the human victim to a brown pitbull named Cujo, who was found dead in the driveway with a gunshot wound to the head. Roommates of the victim testified that the dog escaped the house during the initial chaos, only to be targeted during a second round of gunfire as Peterson allegedly fired additional rounds while retreating to a getaway vehicle. This escalation led prosecutors to file a charge of first degree animal cruelty alongside the primary assault charges, reflecting the intentional nature of the lethal force used against the animal.

Disputes Over Stolen Property and Vandalism

Detectives have traced the origins of the shooting to a series of escalating grievances between Peterson and Snell involving alleged property crimes. Statements from the victim’s household suggest that the animosity began after Snell purportedly sold Peterson a stolen trailer, an act that triggered a cycle of retaliatory vandalism. Both men reportedly admitted to investigators that they had engaged in slashing each other's car tires in the months preceding the shooting, illustrating a deteriorating personal relationship that local authorities say eventually reached a breaking point.