Press Release

Grays Harbor Sheriff Darrin Wallace’s statement on the Monday shooting incident

Posted

On 11-14-22 at approximately 1138 hours, a citizen called 911 to report a suspicious vehicle at the Chevron gas station located at 1366 Rush Rd in Napavine, WA.  A Napavine police officer was dispatched and responded to the location and ran the suspicious vehicle’s registration.  The vehicle return showed the vehicle was stolen in an armed carjacking out of Oregon.  The Napavine Police Officer requested an additional unit to his location and a Lewis County Sheriff’s Office deputy responded to the location to assist.

The LCSO deputy caught up to the Napavine police officer and they attempted to stop the vehicle at milepost 81.  The suspects failed to yield and began to flee at a high rate of speed northbound on I-5. As the officers pursued the vehicle the suspects fired a gun at the officers and a patrol vehicle was struck.

Officers utilized spike strips on the suspect vehicle. The vehicle continued traveling northbound on I-5.  The suspect vehicle exited I-5 at exit 88 and stopped at the top of the exit near the overpass.  The suspects exited the disabled stolen vehicle and attempted to carjack another vehicle waiting at the traffic light at the location.  One of the suspects shot the driver of the vehicle they were trying to carjack. The victim did not exit his vehicle and sped off to get away from the suspects.  The victim was shot in the arm and continued to drive down the road to a safe location where a Centralia police officer and LCSO deputy contacted him and rendered first aid.  The victim was eventually transported to a nearby hospital.  

The suspects then carjacked a Toyota pick-up from the overpass location.  During the car jackings, several shots were fired at this location by several law enforcement officers and the suspects.  The suspects fled east bound on Hwy 99 in the stolen Toyota truck.  Near the intersection of Old Hwy 99 and Violet Prairie Road, the stolen Toyota stopped in the roadway and one suspect exited from the bed of the truck and surrendered.  The suspect had injuries from multiple gunshot wounds and was eventually taken into custody.  Officers rendered aid to the suspect and he was transported to the hospital.

The other suspect drove down the road about 50 feet and got out of the stolen vehicle in a confrontational manner and verbally challenged the law enforcement officers.  Officers gave the suspect verbal commands which he ignored.  The suspect pointed a handgun at the officers which resulted in two officers firing at the suspect.  The suspect was struck multiple times and fell to the ground.  Law enforcement rendered aid to the suspect.  The suspect was fatally struck and was pronounced deceased at the scene. 

The suspect transported to the hospital was treated for his gunshot wounds.  When released from the hospital, the suspect will be booked into jail on numerous charges. 

The Region 3 Critical Incident Investigation Team is conducting the investigation.  The Grays Harbor Sheriff’s Office is the lead investigating agency.  The Lewis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office will be reviewing the case and prosecuting all criminal charges that result from the investigation.  Per standard procedure, law enforcement officers who discharged their weapons at both shooting scenes were placed on administrative leave while the incident is investigated.  Three Lewis County deputies, a Centralia PD officer and a Chehalis PD officer were placed on administrative leave.  No law enforcement officers were injured during the incident.

Chief Darrin Wallace

Editor's Note: This statement was posted in the Grays Harbor Sherriff’s Office’s Facebook earlier today.

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