Boy, 3, pulled from Spokane River during reported drowning Sunday

The Spokane Valley Fire Department pulled a 3-year-old boy from the Spokane River on Sunday when callers reported he was drowning.

Emergency services responded to 19891 E. Buckeye Ave. just after 6:30 p.m., according to department spokesperson Patrick Erickson. They found bystanders performing CPR on the boy, who was presumed to have been underwater for nearly five minutes.

The boy was rushed to a hospital with a police escort, Erickson said. He remained in critical condition on Monday morning.

The boy was not wearing a life jacket, Erickson said.

“That area is not a fast flowing area … It shows this can happen anywhere,” he said. “Please wear a life jacket if you’re going to be on waterways.

“They save lives. A tragedy can strike at any moment.”