Crime & Safety

Lakewood Police Officers Fatally Shoot Man Who Refused To Put Down Handgun

Police had been looking for the 28-year-old man since Friday.

Lakewood Police officers fatally shot a man Tuesday night at a home in Tillicum after the man - wanted on warrants - refused to put down a handgun that he produced in front of officers.

Authorities had been looking for the 28-year-old man since Friday. He was wanted on a felony theft charge.

Lt. Jeff Alwine said that police got a tip that he was inside a home in Tillicum on Tuesday night, shortly before midnight. Officers went to the house and spotted the suspect.

"He produced a handgun," Alwine said of the man. "He was given verbal commands to drop the gun. After repeated verbal commands to drop the gun, he took action that the officers felt was life-threatening."

The man - whose identity police have yet to reveal - died at the scene. Per standard department procedure, the two officers have been placed on paid administrative leave while the department reviews the shooting. 


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