WSU policeman who fired weapon identified

PULLMAN — Washington State University Police Officer Dillon Tiedeman-Mueller fired his weapon during an incident in the Global Scholars residence hall last week.

Per protocol, he is placed on administrative leave and will remain so while the Critical Incident Investigative Response Team, of Palouse Area Law Enforcement, conducts an independent investigation, according to a news release sent by the WSU Police Department on Wednesday.

Tiedeman-Mueller has been a WSU police officer for two and a half years and was previously a Latah County Sheriff’s deputy for three and a half years, according to the news release.

It all began when officers followed up on a report of a man with a knife the afternoon of March 27. They contacted the man, identified as 20-year-old WSU student John Bazan, on the fourth floor. They found him concealing his hands in his sweatshirt pockets, according to the news release.

Bazan allegedly began to move toward officers, ignoring repeated instructions to stop and show his hands. Police tried to back up and maintain a safe distance, but he kept advancing, according to the news release.

An officer tried to deploy a stun gun, but it was ineffective. Bazan continued to get closer to officers and removed his hands from his sweatshirt in an aggressive manner, according to the news release.

After that, an officer fired a shot from his gun, which missed him. Another officer used a stun gun and police apprehend Bazan, according to the news release.

Bazan was taken into custody under suspicion of third-degree assault, obstructing an officer and resisting arrest, according to the news release.

It was later revealed in an additional investigation that Bazan had reported himself as the one with the weapon. Police Chief Gary Jenkins said the reason for this will be answered at the conclusion of the independent investigation.

This was the second knife-related incident on the WSU Pullman campus this academic year. Officers arrested a student in October 2023 under suspicion of threatening to kill others and chasing students with a knife at a residence hall. No one was injured during that incident either.

Bazan will make an appearance in the Whitman County Superior Court this week. He was released on bail from the Whitman County Jail last weekend, according to documents provided by the jail.

Pearce can be reached at epearce@dnews.com