The Kitsap County Critical Incident Response Team is investigating after a man was killed in an officer-involved shooting when Sequim police officers and Clallam County sheriff’s deputies responded to a domestic violence assault incident Thursday.
According to the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were called to a domestic violence assault in the 300 block of Priest Lane in Sequim just after 2 a.m.
Deputies said a woman reported her boyfriend hit her over the head with an ax.
Officers with the Sequim Police Department and Clallam County sheriff’s deputies responded to the scene. The woman was taken to Olympic Medical Center, where she was treated and later released.
While trying to contact the man inside the building on the property — a shop that sheriff’s deputies said also serves as a residence — deputies heard a single gunshot from inside the shop.
Law enforcement officials surrounded the shop and called in additional resources, including detectives with the Olympic Peninsula Narcotics Enforcement Team and crisis negotiators with the Sequim Police Department.
As detectives and negotiators tried to talk with the man, more gunshots were heard from inside the shop.
The Washington State Patrol SWAT team was then requested to respond.
As negotiations continued over several hours, neighboring residences were evacuated and Priest Lane was closed.
More gunshots were heard from inside the building and were eventually fired in the direction of law enforcement officials.
The man ultimately came out of the shop and fired at SWAT officers, who returned fire.
Medics rushed to the scene to provide aid to the man, but he died from his injuries.
Because of Washington state laws about independent investigation criteria surrounding officer-involved shootings, the case is being investigated by the Kitsap County Critical Incident Response Team.