Police: Auburn officer shoots, kills man who posed a threat 'with some sort of weapon'

AUBURN, Wash. -- An Auburn police officer investigating a vandalism case outside a townhomes complex Friday night shot and killed a man who approached him in the parking lot with "some sort of weapon" and posed a threat, police Commander Steve Stocker said.

The incident occurred at about 8:30 p.m. in the 800 block of Pike NE at the River Ridge Townhomes.





Stocker said the officer was called to investigate a call that someone was breaking lights or windows of cars in the complex parking lot.

The officer was unable to find the suspect, Stocker said, but was then approached by a male suspect who had "some sort of weapon" on him and "posed a threat," so the officer opened fire, killing the suspect, who was a white man in his 60s.

Stocker said he wasn't sure yet what kind of weapon the suspect was wielding. But the evidence was still at the crime scene.

As is usual, the police officer will be put on administrative leave pending an investigation.

No other details were immediately available.