Puyallup officer shoots man armed with baton after sister reported he was trying to kill her

A Puyallup police officer fired shots at a suspect involved in a domestic violence situation Friday night, the department confirmed.

Just before 7:30 p.m. Friday, the officer was called to respond to a domestic situation on the 1600 block of 4th Street N.W. after a woman reported that her brother was trying to kill her.

“As officers were responding, dispatch reported that the male suspect was breaking windows in the residence,” the Puyallup Police Department stated.

Puyallup officer fires shots at suspect

The first-arriving officer was at the scene of the disturbance, allegedly waiting for additional officers to arrive. The suspect, a man in his 30s, then approached the lone officer with a baton. The man ignored the officer’s commands to stay back.

“Moments later, the officer reported shots fired,” the Puyallup Police Department stated. “Officers on scene administered emergency medical care to the male suspect, a man in his 30s, who was subsequently transported to a Tacoma hospital by Central Pierce Fire and Rescue (CPFR).”

The suspect was transported to a Tacoma hospital in critical condition.

“The guy came out yelling at the cop immediately,” Dean Wattles, a neighbor who heard the incident unfold, told KOMO News. “We heard the cop saying, ‘Get back, get back. Stay back, stay back.’ And then we heard three gunshots, and that was it.”

No family members or law enforcement officers were injured in the incident. The Washington State Office of Independent Investigations (OII) is investigating the officer-involved shooting.

This is a developing story, check back for updates

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