MYNORTHWEST NEWS

Investigation into Tacoma officer who drove through crowd expected to take ‘several more weeks’

Feb 5, 2021, 2:30 PM | Updated: 3:38 pm

Tacoma officer...

Tacoma Police and other law enforcement officers stand in an intersection near the site of a car crash Saturday, Jan. 23, 2021, in downtown Tacoma, Wash. At least one person was injured when a police car plowed through a crowd of people Saturday night who were watching a downtown street race. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

(AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

In January, a Tacoma police officer was seen driving his car through a crowd of people, spurring outrage among community members and calls to further look into the incident. Pierce County’s Force Investigation Team (PCFIT) provided an update on those efforts Thursday.

Oversight group reacts in wake of Tacoma officer driving through crowd

The PCFIT — composed of detectives, forensic investigators, and public information officers from an assortment of Pierce County law enforcement departments — has identified six people who were struck by the patrol vehicle so far, having interviewed three of them. It is “attempting to obtain statements from the remaining three.”

“Expect that more information regarding these individuals will be released at a later date,” it said in a Thursday news release.

The investigation team has received 33 tips related to the incident, having made attempts to contact each person. “Several” formal interviews have resulted from that process. With the information garnered from tips — as well as from others who called in to report the incident — the PCFIT has identified other potential witnesses as well, and believes that “there may be additional witnesses who have yet to come forward.”

Investigators have yet to draw any hard conclusions, and believe their work will “likely take several more weeks to complete.”

The officer who drove the vehicle was 58-year-old Khanh Phan, who has served in the Tacoma Police Department for over 29 years. Phan is on administrative leave pending the results of the PCFIT’s investigation.

During the incident, Phan was in his vehicle surrounded by people as part of an attempt to clear an intersection, responding to reports of an illegal street race. Video shows he briefly put the vehicle in reverse, before moving forward and driving through the crowd, visibly injuring at least two people.

While the investigation has played out, Tacoma’s police union and community members have been at odds. While the union has urged residents to “stop sacrificing dedicated public servants at the altar of mob rule for political expediency,” the city’s Community Police Advisory Committee has expressed concerns over an investigative process that still includes members of law enforcement.

Union, community at odds over investigation of officer driving through crowd

“I call it the fox watching the chicken coop,” committee member Louis Cooper said in January. “You can’t have police investigating the police because they’re going to protect their own.”

A bill is currently moving through the state Legislature to ensure that use of force investigations occur independent of law enforcement, which Tacoma Mayor Victoria Woodards called “Tacoma’s top priority for 2021″ during recent testimony in Olympia.

MyNorthwest News

Image: Brightly colored eggs are set on a table on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington,...

Ted Buehner

Expect good Easter weekend weather for egg hunts, chilly evening Mariners games

Both Saturday and Sunday of Easter weekend will feature temperatures warming to around 60 degrees across much of Western Washington.

5 hours ago

Taylor Swift performs onstage during the Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour at Lumen Field on July 22, 20...

Micki Gamez, KIRO Newsradio and Bill Kaczaraba, MyNorthwest

Seattle tourism dollars break records following All-Star Week, Taylor Swift

It was a record-setting year for dollars flowing into Seattle from tourists.

6 hours ago

Image: A bridge in Carnation....

Julia Dallas

Carnation frustrated with Seattle again after 8th false emergency alarm induces widespread panic

Carnation citizens have faced a series of panic-inducing alarms after SPU's system for the Tolt Dam falsely sounded eight times.

7 hours ago

Grocery store shopper...

Bill Kaczaraba

Ways to deal with Seattle grocery store sticker shock

Seattle grocery store sticker shock continues to play havoc on locals, but there are ways to counter high prices.

7 hours ago

belltown hellcat social media...

Frank Sumrall

Infamous ‘Belltown Hellcat’ social media influencer charged with reckless driving

The social media influencer has been accused of driving 107 miles per hour through Belltown in a Dodge Hellcat.

9 hours ago

KIRO Newsradio gracie awards...

MyNorthwest Staff

KIRO Newsradio anchors receive Gracie Awards for outstanding work

Heather Bosch and Lisa Brooks, anchors at KIRO Newsradio, have been honored by the Alliance for Women in Media with prestigious Gracie Awards.

12 hours ago

Investigation into Tacoma officer who drove through crowd expected to take ‘several more weeks’