A man died in custody of State Patrol and police in Tacoma. Here’s what’s known
A man died after Washington State troopers used less-lethal force to take him into custody with the help of Tacoma police Thursday night, officials say.
The incident began about 7:40 p.m. when a trooper attempted to stop a truck in the 3700 block of Pacific Avenue that had nearly hit a pedestrian and ran a red light, according to a news release. The trooper believed the driver was severely impaired, and the car continued to drive on sidewalks going about 40 mph.
The driver either jumped or was ejected from the truck as it turned onto 84th Street then crashed through a light pole and into the wall of a gas station.
Several troopers initially reported the man was waving around a gun but later confirmed it was a knife, according to a news release. The man did not comply with police commands.
Police radio traffic indicated officers fired a less-lethal bean bag round and shocked him with a Taser.
Tacoma police assisted troopers in arresting him, according to a news release. The man allegedly kicked at law enforcement and firefighters who were providing medical aid.
Within a few minutes, the man stopped breathing, and he died after more than 30 minutes of CPR, according to a news release.
The Lakewood Police Department was designated to lead the investigation by the Pierce County Force Investigation Team, a group of regional law enforcement agencies that investigates uses of deadly force.
Two witnesses who spoke with The News Tribune said they saw a man driving erratically on Pacific Avenue at about 7:45 p.m. One woman who asked to only be identified as Tresa said she had just arrived at work nearby when she saw the man swerve into oncoming traffic in front of a State Patrol cruiser, which activated its lights.
Tresa said she saw the man turn around again and drive toward a gas station and convenience store at the intersection of 84th Street and Pacific Avenue, where the man hopped out of his pickup while it was moving. She said the truck hit a wall at the convenience store.
A Spanaway resident who was headed home from dinner in Tacoma, Shelley Wilkey, said she also saw a man drive into oncoming traffic. Video she took showed him lying on the ground after he crashed, writhing while five law enforcement officers approached. The officers put him on his stomach and secured his hands behind his back.
At some point, Tresa said she heard a sound that she believed to be a bean bag round being shot. She returned to work for a time, and later in the evening she took video of first responders performing chest compressions on the man.
