VIDEO: 19-year-old armed carjacking suspect shot by Pierce County deputy
Suspected armed carjacker shot by Pierce County deputy
A string of crimes connected to a teenager led to a violent confrontation and shots fired by a Pierce County deputy.
PUYALLUP, Wash. - The Pierce County Force Investigation Team (PCFIT) is looking into a shooting involving a sheriff's deputy and a suspect wanted for an armed carjacking.
Around 10 a.m., deputies saw a vehicle at Military Road E. and Canyon Road E. in Puyallup that was wanted in connection to several armed robberies and an armed carjacking.
Deputies tried to stop the driver on Canyon Road, but the suspect sped away.
The driver rammed into other vehicles while trying to get through a traffic jam to avoid police, according to PCFIT, giving deputies probable cause to arrest the person for vehicular assault.
Around 10:37 a.m., the driver ditched the vehicle and hopped on the back of a motorcycle on 161 St. E. in an attempt to escape. It was at that time that dispatchers were notified that shots had been fired.
Pierce County Sheriff's Office releases body cam video of May 12 police shooting
The Pierce County Force Investigation Team is looking into a shooting involving a sheriff's deputy and a suspect wanted for an armed carjacking. On Monday, the sheriff's office released body cam video of the shooting and the events that led up to it.
"Looked like to me he turned around with a gun, shot at the cops… I seen the flash of light with the gun sound, the bullet. And then the cops opened fire on him. Four rounds—pop, pop, pop, pop and then he drops with the motorcycle on him," said Richard Bunton, who witnessed the shooting.
The 19-year-old suspect was taken to the hospital for serious injuries from a gunshot wound. One deputy had minor injuries from the incident.
Per department policy, that deputy was placed on administrative leave while PCFIT investigates the shooting.
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The PCFIT is a team of detectives, forensic investigators, and public information officers from law enforcement agencies throughout Pierce County who investigate use of deadly force incidents involving officers
This is a developing story, and will be updated.