Olympic Law Enforcement Related Injury (LERI) – NRF052-21ne

On October 1, 2021, at around 7:30 p.m., Olympic Area patrol officers responded to a radio call of a male with mental illness. Officers met with the suspect’s parents outside the residence and were told that the suspect was throwing items at the parents and threatening to kill them. The parents advised that the suspect suffered from mental illness and the suspect may have access to a loaded shotgun inside the residence.

During the investigation, the suspect exited the residence and threw a golf club at the officers, nearly striking one of them. The suspect went back inside and refused to exit the location. Notifications were made to Metropolitan Division, Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) for a barricaded suspect. While awaiting the arrival of SWAT officers, the suspect set his own house on fire.

At one point, the suspect briefly exited the residence. He then attempted to go back inside, and officers fired several 40mm rounds at the suspect in an attempt to stop him from harming himself by returning into the house since it was on fire. The suspect was struck by the 40mm Less Lethal Launcher rounds and was taken into custody.

The suspect sustained a deep laceration to his left index finger as a result of the 40mm rounds and was taken by rescue ambulance (RA) to local hospital in stable condition. Doctors admitted the suspect into the hospital to treat the injury to his hand.

One officer sustained a minor injury to his knee while taking the suspect into custody. The officer was treated at a local medical facility and released.

Force Investigation Division (FID) detectives responded to the scene and are investigating this incident.