Police officer shoots, kills carjacking suspect in Totem Lake

KIRKLAND, Wash. – For the first time in 20 years a Kirkland Police officer shot and killed a man after they said he tried carjacking two people at gunpoint.

It happened in the Totem Lake area just before 9:30 Thursday morning only a couple blocks away from the Kirkland Police Department.

Dozens of investigators spent most of the day looking for clues in multiple crime scenes.

Police said their suspect is a man in his 20’s or 30’s. After a struggle an officer shot and killed him.



Crime tape surrounded a car possibly connected to one of the attempted carjackings.

The driver’s door was still wide open; Makeup and a cellphone had dropped to the ground.

“My heart skipped a beat because you think what’s going on?” said Rita Price.

Price said she was inside one of the office building when the shooting happened. She said officers told everyone inside to lock the doors and close the blinds.

“We didn’t know if he was in our building, we didn’t know anything at that point so you’re kind of like should I get underneath a desk?” she said.

It all began when workers at the busy business complex called 911 after spotting a man trying to break into cars.

Police found the suspect and that’s when investigators said he took off and tried to carjack two different cars. After a struggle with the gunman an officer fired once, killing him.

Jon Saunders heard the gunshot.

“Wouldn’t expect it here. It’s too nice of a neighborhood, too ritzy,” he said. “There are a lot of folks out here that are good folks and I wouldn’t expect anything here but people are getting desperate these days.”

The carjacking victims weren’t hurt and neither were the responding officers.

People who work in the business park were shaken and saddened by the shooting.

“That’s somebody’s son, somebody’s possible husband,” said Ken Sullivan. “Just the sadness of the whole thing.”

Now a team of officers from the King County Investigative Response Team took over the investigation.

The officer involved in the shooting has been placed on administrative leave, which is standard procedure.

People who might have seen the shooting are asked to call the Kirkland Police Department at 425-587-3400.