Man shot by state troopers on Ship Canal Bridge during bizarre standoff dies

Police said the driver of this pickup truck pulled a knife on a Washington State Patrol trooper, who then shot him.



SEATTLE -- A man who allegedly blocked lanes of southbound I-5 before approaching Washington State Patrol troopers with a knife has died from gunshot wounds, Harborview Medical Center staff confirmed Monday.

The man in his 20s was pronounced dead shortly after arriving to Harborview last night after being shot by WSP troopers. His identity and the cause of his death -- believed to be gunshot wounds -- were not immediately released.

The man was allegedly the center of a bizarre incident last night, when the pickup truck he was allegedly driving swerved to the middle of the interstate and stopped, blocking two of the center lanes. man alleged set fire to his truck and walked about 35 feet south on the bridge. One State Patrol trooper put out the fire, while another went to see to the driver.

The driver then took a can of green spray paint and made a circle that covered two lanes in the middle of the roadway, police said. One of the troopers ordered him to come back out of the road.

“The subject displayed a knife at our officers,” Washington State Patrol trooper Cliff Pratt told reporters. “Our officers tried to talk him out of getting that knife, or putting that knife down. The officer then Tased this person, or attempted to Tase him, which had no effect on this subject. And the subject continued with his knife toward the officers, and they were forced to fire off rounds at him.”

WSP investigated the shooting and closed I-5 for some time Monday evening.