Officer-involved shooting

RITZVILLE - An officer-involved shooting took place at Love's Travel Stop Saturday night.

Ritzville Police responded to the travel plaza at 1370 SR 261 regarding a call of a suicidal subject at around 11:20 p.m. According to the Ritzville Police Department, the police officer and a Washington State Trooper contacted the subject in the parking lot. At some point in the contact, the Ritzville officer discharged his weapon and struck the subject.

Matt Simmons, a Loves Tire Shop employee, said he was working Saturday night until about 11:15 p.m., then he left and came back about six minutes later, after the shooting occurred. Simmons said he saw law enforcement officers performing CPR on a subject in the grass just north of the parking lot.

"I saw them pumping on his chest and thought he had a heart attack," Simmons said. "I went into the store and they said he had been shot."

"After he was shot, the Washington State Trooper and the Ritzville officer called for an ambulance, and performed CPR on the subject until the ambulance arrived," Grant County Sheriff's Deputy Kyle Foreman said.

The subject was taken to East Adams Rural Community Hospital, where he passed away.

Foreman, working with the Central Basin Investigation Team assigned to the case, said neither the name of the police officer or the victim could be released before The Journal went to press. Foreman said the victim was from out of state.

"With new disclosure laws in officer-involved shootings, we're really meticulous about the information we put out. We want to be transparent, but sometimes it just takes awhile to get that additional information," Foreman said.

According to the Ritzville Police Department, the scene was secured and a machete was located.

The police officer is on paid administrative leave.

Ritzville Police Department staff said they would release more information 48 hours after the investigation began.

"We understand the need to inform the public, but want to allow time for the independent investigative team to investigate this event to ensure any information given is absolutely accurate. This time period also allows for the family of the subject to be notified," Ritzville Police Office staff said.

"This is just the first day of the investigation except for what they did the night of the shooting," Ritzville Police Chief Dave McCormick said Monday.

He said this is the first officer-involved shooting in Ritzville in about 32 years.

"Moses Lake had one six or eight weeks ago, and Spokane had one in November, but this is the first one in a while for us," McCormick said, adding the team assigned to do the investigation works in Grant and Adams counties.

McCormick said I-940, which passed last year regarding officer-involved shootings, includes strict regulations regarding which agencies can investigate other agencies.

"In the east side of the state, that protocol has been followed for many years. If the Seattle Police Department had an officer-involved shooting, the Seattle Police Department would be allowed to investigate it, until this law passed," McCormick said.

Another regulation of I-940, McCormick said, is having two community representatives attend the investigative meetings.

"They have the opportunity to ask questions and get answers, but they do not have the authority to release information to anyone," McCormick said. "At some point they will be allowed to view the dash cam and autopsy findings. They will be able to view everything we have access to."

Watch The Journal's website for updates.