WA State Trooper Kills Man Near Lacey In Apparent 'Suicide By Cop' Incident

LACEY, WA - A Washington State Patrol officer shot and killed a man along I-5 near Lacey Saturday after the man apparently called 911 requesting "suicide by cop," according to state police. An investigation related to the death caused traffic problems all morning along southbound I-5, with traffic backed up as far as Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

State police said that a man called 911 at around 6:15 a.m. Saturday and reported that he was driving along SR 167 in King County, and that he was distraught and suicidal, and that he was armed with a knife. The driver was apparently speeding, and told the dispatcher that he would attack any police who tried to pull him over.

Troopers later spotted the man - who was driving a Dodge Charger - near JBLM. They pursued the man and got him to pull over at around 6:48 a.m. near Carpenter Road along I-5 in Lacey. Police said that the man exited his car and moved toward officers while holding a knife.

The officer who shot the man is an 18-year state police veteran. He was placed on paid administrative leave while the shooting is investigated. Olympia police and the Thurston County Critical Incident Investigation Team are handling the investigation.

Image via Washington State Patrol