Man with knife shot dead by Centralia police officer

Police in Centralia shot and killed a man who threatened officers with a knife early Thursday morning.

Officers wanted to know what the man was doing behind a coffee shop in the middle of the night. Police say the man walked away, refusing an officer’s orders to drop a knife.

At some point, police say the man also claimed he had a gun. He started to run and then stopped, turned and confronted police. By this time, another officer had arrived, according to a police statement.

When the man threatened officers with the knife, he was shot and killed by one of the officers. It’s not known if the man was armed with a gun.

The 48-year-old man carried out-of-state identification and his name has not been released.

The Washington State Patrol is assisting police in the investigation.