Information from King County Sheriff

On May 9th, 2016, just after 515pm, King County Sheriff 911 Communications, received reports of what a caller described as two males having a “knife fight” in front of a bus stop in the 9900blk of 15th Ave SW, in the White Center area of unincorporated King County. Multiple King County Sheriff Deputies initially began to respond to the scene.

As the first Deputies were arriving on the scene approximately one minute later, several people began running from the area of the fight. A King County Sergeant, who had also responded to the area, got out of his car to talk to one of the men whom he had observed leaving the area of the fight. As the Sergeant got out of his car, the man began walking directly toward him, holding a knife at waist level. The Sergeant repeatedly ordered the man to stop and drop the knife, but the man continued advancing directly toward the Sergeant.

Despite multiple commands by the Sergeant to the man to stop and put the knife down, the man continued walking directly towards him. As the man continued walking toward the Sergeant, still holding the knife and ignoring commands to stop, the Sergeant fired two rounds at him. Both rounds hit the man in the stomach. At about the same time, another deputy whom had just arrived on scene, deployed his taser at the man as he advanced on the Sergeant. It is unknown at this time if the taser actually made contact or had any affect on the man.

Once the man was cleared of any further weapons, and it was safe for people to approach him, King County Deputies and North Highline Fire Medics performed 1st aid on the man. He was transported to Harborview where, at the time of this press release, he was in surgery, in critical condition.

The Sergeant that shot the man is a 17year veteran with the King County Sheriffs Office. Prior to working for the King County Sheriffs Office, he was a Deputy in Maricopa County Arizona. The Sergeant is on paid administrative leave. This is a common practice for officer involved shootings.

The man that was shot, is a 54yoa W/M that is believed to be a transient from the White Center area.

King County Sheriff Detectives will be diagramming the scene, collecting evidence, and talking to as many witnesses as possible to determine the circumstances that led up to this event.