Kent Police Officer Dies During Pursuit

KENT, WA - A Kent police officer died early Sunday morning after he was hit by another Kent police officer who was driving an SUV in pursuit of a shooting suspect.

Officer Diego Moreno, an eight-year veteran of Kent police, was hit while trying to deploy a row of spikes to stop a pickup truck . He died along SR 516 near West Meeker Street. The officer who was driving the SUV was seriously injured moments later when he crashed.

The pickup truck police were pursuing later crashed and one of three people inside was arrested. The other two ran from the scene. Police were pursuing the truck after a report that the occupants had opened fire at the Shari's restaurant along Russell Road.

This is the second line-of-duty death of a Washington police officer so far in 2018. Pierce County Sheriff's Deputy Daniel McCartney died in January after he was shot chasing several suspects from the scene of a burglary in Frederickson.

State and local police went to the scene of the crash Sunday morning to escort the officer's body away from the scene.

Police departments across the state and country were reaching out to Kent police to send condolences.

Image courtesy WSP