By Pepper Fisher
PORT ANGELES – A deadly police shooting in downtown Port Angeles Friday morning left a bank robbery suspect dead on the sidewalk and a bank full of customers and employees terrorized.
Clallam County Sheriff Brian King and Port Angeles Police Chief Brian Smith held a brief news conference Friday afternoon to update reporters on the incident. Here is what we know.
At approximately 9:52am the 9-1-1 dispatch center received notification of a confirmed “Hold Up” alarm from Chase Bank at 101 W. Front Street. City of Port Angeles Police Officers were immediately dispatched and arrived at the bank shortly thereafter. Clallam County Sheriff’s Deputies and Officers from the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe also responded.
At about 09:57am, Port Angeles Police Officers advised PENCOM a male at the scene had emerged from the bank was being uncooperative. Moments later, officers notified PENCOM that shots had been fired.
Officers and Deputies immediately rendered emergency medical aid to the lone, as yet unnamed, male suspect. The City of Port Angeles Fire Department responded, and paramedics initiated advanced life support measures.
When it was confirmed that the PAPD officers used deadly force, the investigation was, as is required by the Law Enforcement Training and Community Safety Act, the Kitsap Critical Incident Response Team (KCIRT) is to be assigned the investigation into the shooting. PAPD contacted the KCIRT representative immediately after the scene was secured.
KCIRT detectives now have assumed the crime scene and taken control of the investigation. The Port Angeles Police Department will not be involved in the criminal investigation of the incident, but will later conduct an internal investigation.
Sheriff King said, “The facts as we believe them to be now tell us that the PAPD Officers were confronted with a lethal threat and that they carried out their duties to protect the public and other officers. Every day our Officers and Deputies carry out their duties with courage and valor.
Neither PAPD nor the Clallam County Sheriff’s office will be making any additional statements on the investigation at this time.”
(Staff photo: L, Police Chief Brian Smith, R, Sheriff Brian King)