PULLMAN — Washington State Patrol officers stood outside the Coffee House Apartment complex on Latah Street surrounded by police tape Thursday afternoon while investigating an officer-involved shooting after one man was killed by a SWAT team member during early hours.
A man in his 30s was fatally shot by a member of the Whitman County Regional SWAT team after a standoff in his apartment late Wednesday night and into the early Thursday morning hours, according to a Pullman Police Department news release. Around 28 residents, 20 Washington State University student residents and eight nonstudent residents, were evacuated from the premises during the incident.
Pullman police responded to the 1000 block of Latah Street at 8:37 p.m. Wednesday after receiving a report of a “weapon offense,” according to the release. Officers found the man was allegedly threatening to kill his roommates at their apartment, who were later evacuated from the complex.
Officers tried to speak with the man but he barricaded himself inside the apartment. Whitman County requested assistance from the Washington State Patrol around 9:24 p.m. Wednesday, according to Chris Loftis, director of communications at the WSP. Pullman police crisis negotiators and the Whitman County Regional SWAT team responded, but the man began to fire in his apartment.
Residents were evacuated from the area and transported to Beasley Coliseum, according to Phil Weiler, vice president for marketing and communications at Washington State University. The man was shot by a SWAT team member around 3:58 a.m. Thursday after failed negotiations, exacerbated behavior, and continued danger to the community and officers, according to the release. He was found dead after the SWAT team cleared the apartment.
The case has been passed on to the Palouse Area Law Enforcement Critical Incident Response Team, who are currently investigating the incident, along with the Washington State Patrol, according to a WSP news release. Washington state law requires further investigation to be completed by an independent agency when an officer involved used deadly force, according to the release. The SWAT team includes police from the Whitman County Sheriff’s Office, Pullman Police Department and WSU Police Department.
Residents initially transported to the Beasley Coliseum were moved to the WSU Student Recreation Center, Weiler said. WSU offered them showers, restrooms, clothing and food, as well as a psychological support team to help with mental health issues as a result of the standoff. They were then relocated to a hotel while the complex was being investigated.
Loftis said the investigation is still active and further information will be provided by WSP. The Whitman County Coroner’s office will release the name of the man “when appropriate,” according to the release. Once the Palouse Area Law Enforcement Critical Incident Response Team finishes its investigation, the case will be passed to the Whitman County Prosecutor’s Office for review.
Pearce can be reached at epearce@dnews.com or on Twitter @Emily_A_Pearce.
