Man shot by 2 Lakewood police officers identified; investigation continues

LAKEWOOD -- Police continue to investigate an officer-involved shooting in Lakewood that left a 37-year-old man dead and a community searching for answers.

According to Lakewood police, dispatchers received calls around 1 p.m. Tuesday about a suspicious man at a lumber yard on 108th Street SW. The callers said a man was running through their parking lot carrying a hooded jacket. They told dispatchers he had climbed a fence into the lumber yard and was hiding in a lumber rack 25-feet up.

Police issued a press release Wednesday, saying it was unclear why the man was running and why he chose to hide in the lumberyard.

Daniel Covarrubias.

"No police agencies in the area were chasing him or actively looking for him prior to the lumberyard employees calling 911," police said.

Officers called to the scene found the man hiding on a pile of lumber. Officers radioed saying the man was reaching for something in his pockets, and that’s when they fired shots at him, police said. It’s unclear how many times he was hit. He was taken to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The two officers, a 39-year-old man and a 48-year-old man, have been placed on paid administrative leave which is standard policy for the department, according to Lt. Chris Lawler.

Detectives identified the deceased man as 37-year-old Daniel I. Covarrubias, and are looking into his criminal history, officers said. The Pierce County Prosecutor's Office is leading the investigation into the shooting.

Few other detail were released Wednesday.

"To protect the integrity of the investigation, we are not releasing any details at this time," Lakewood police said.

Video leading up to the shooting shot from a nearby resident was released to media outlets. It is available above.