A Thurston County Sheriff's deputy in Washington state shot an armed suspect at the scene of a car fire, according to details released by the Thurston County Sheriff's Office. The confrontation unfolded after deputies were called to help firefighters, and ended with the suspect being shot and taken to hospital while an independent investigation begins.
According to the Sheriff's Office, the incident began at approximately 9am, when the Thurston County Sheriff's Office was dispatched to assist firefighters with a car fire. The property in question had been flagged as a caution due to prior violent criminal activity, which meant that firefighters were not permitted to respond to the location on their own.
Upon arrival, a lone Thurston County Sheriff's Office deputy gave an individual an order to step away from the fire. That order, the Sheriff's Office said, was ignored, setting the stage for a rapid escalation between the deputy and the person at the scene as the situation unfolded.
The account from the Sheriff's Office states that the suspect then charged at the deputy before producing a firearm. In response to the threat, the deputy opened fire, shooting the suspect numerous times during the encounter at the property where the car was burning.
Once additional units arrived on the scene, deputies and officers detained the suspect and removed a second firearm from him. They then rendered medical aid by applying tourniquets, working to stabilise the wounded man before he could be transported for further treatment.
The suspect was taken to hospital with injuries that are not believed to be life-threatening, according to the Sheriff's Office. Officials also emphasised that no first responders or uninvolved members of the public were injured during the incident, despite the volatile circumstances at the scene.
In line with standard procedure, the deputy who fired the shots has been placed on administrative leave. The Region 3 Critical Incident Investigation Team will conduct an independent investigation into the shooting, a process designed to review the circumstances of the encounter separately from the agency involved.