5 officers injured, suspect killed in Kent shootout and explosion
Jul 21, 2014, 6:27 AM | Updated: 6:27 am
A man was killed and five police officers injured during a shootout in a Kent industrial area Sunday afternoon that ended with an explosion. The officers suffered superficial burns. (KIRO Radio/Brandi Kruse)
(KIRO Radio/Brandi Kruse)
Five police officers were injured and a man killed during a shootout in Kent Sunday afternoon that ended with an explosion.
Kent Police Detective Melanie Frazier says the incident began around 10:30 a.m. with police responding to reports of a suspicious person at a motel near Central Avenue and South 228th Street.
Frazier said when officers arrived at the motel, the suspect fled to a nearby industrial area and was believed to be armed.
Police set up a perimeter around the area and carried out a K-9 track. After several hours, officers located the suspect near the Edgmon trucking yard.
Officers engaged with the suspect verbally and shots were fired back and forth, Det. Frazier said.
It is not clear at this time who fired first.
The suspect was shot and killed by officers. Simultaneously, a stray bullet hit a nearby propane tank causing it to explode.
Five officers suffered superficial burns and were transported to a nearby hospital for treatment.
“Any type of shooting, anything of this magnitude, it affects everybody that’s involved,” Det. Frazier said. “It hits home when officers – there’s a potential for them to be injured as well.”
There is no additional information on the suspect at this time.
A female at the scene was detained for questioning, but her involvement in the incident is unclear.
KIRO Radio’s Brandi Kruse contributed to this report.
