Man shot dead by Pierce County deputies near Parkland identified by medical examiner

A 25-year-old man shot and killed Friday by Pierce County sheriff’s deputies after he reportedly pulled a pin on a grenade and drew a handgun in a confrontation near Parkland has been identified.

Branden Vorak of Enumclaw died of multiple gunshot wounds, the Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office said in a news release issued Tuesday. His death was ruled a homicide.

It’s unclear how many deputies shot Vorak. Investigators have not yet identified those involved.

Authorities investigating the shooting, the Pierce County Force Investigation Team, have said deputies first contacted Vorak at about 10 a.m. after responding to a bar where the man used to work. Vorak was reportedly fired from his job the day before, then threatened to shoot up the business. Investigators said deputies had probable cause to arrest him for felony harassment/threats.

Vorak was reportedly walking away from deputies when they spotted him. Dispatch recordings indicated he was seen on train tracks near 99th Street East and Portland Avenue, and that he was walking home.

Deputies followed him nearly a mile south on the tracks until he was shot near the 1800 block of 112th Street East, just south of state Route 512. Two schools in the area, Franklin Pierce High School and Ford Middle School, were put on modified lockdown.

Before he was shot, investigators said Vorak pulled out what appeared to be a hand grenade and pulled the pin while keeping the explosive in his hand.

“Attempts to stop him using less lethal projectiles were not successful at which time the suspect produced a handgun. It was at this time that a Deputy involved shooting occurred,” PCFIT wrote in a news release.

An explosives response team was called to render the grenade safe and to allow medics to give aid to Vorak, investigators said, but he was declared dead at the scene. PCFIT is continuing to investigate the shooting.