Grays Harbor Sheriff Darrin Wallace, whose agency is leading the investigation into the shooting incident that left one suspect dead Monday at Old Highway 969, said in a statement that two suspects fired shots at police and citizens during the pursuit.
One suspect was injured. A second injured individual was a driver, whom the suspects attempted but failed to carjack while fleeing from police.
How the pursuit started
Wallace said a suspicious vehicle was reported at a Chevron gas station in Napavine late Monday morning. A Napavine officer arrived at the location and ran the vehicle’s registration to find that the car was stolen in an armed carjacking in Oregon.
The Napavine officer and a Lewis County Sheriff’s deputy, who was called to assist, tried to stop the vehicle at I-5 milepost 81, but the suspects did not yield and instead drove faster northbound.
The suspects fired a gun at law enforcement, hitting a patrol vehicle, Wallace said.
Carjack attempt
Officers deployed spike strips, causing the suspects to stop at the top of Exit 88 near the overpass, where they abandoned the stolen vehicle and attempted to steal another car that was waiting at the traffic light.
One of the suspects shot at the driver of the vehicle they were attempting to carjack, Wallace said. The driver was able to stay in his car and drove to an area where he was met by a Centralia officer and a Lewis County Sheriff’s deputy who rendered first aid. The man had a gunshot wound in his arm and was brought to a hospital.
After failing to steal the driver’s vehicle, the suspects carjacked a Toyota pick-up at the overpass near Exit 88. The suspects fired several shots and multiple law enforcement officers at this location, Wallace said.
The suspects managed to flee eastbound on Highway 99 aboard the stolen Toyota truck. Near the intersection of Old Highway 99 and Violet Prairie Road, the suspects stopped, and one of them surrendered. Officers rendered first aid, and then he was taken to the hospital for multiple gunshot wounds.
Wallace said the suspect would be booked into jail on numerous charges once he is discharged from the hospital.
Suspect shot dead
The other suspect then continued to drive about 50 more feet before getting out of the pick-up in a “confrontational manner” and verbally challenging law enforcement, Wallace said.
Officers gave the suspect multiple commands, but he ignored them and pointed a handgun in their direction, prompting two officers to shoot. The suspect fell to the ground and was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Region 3 Critical Incident Investigation Team is investigating the incident. The law enforcement officers who opened fire — three Lewis County Sheriff’s deputies, a Centralia officer, and a Chehalis officer — have been placed on administrative leave. None of them were injured.
Wallace issued a statement concerning the skirmish.
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