Pullman man shot in standoff with police identified

PULLMAN — The man shot in the officer involved shooting has been identified in a coroner report released Monday, Dec. 19, as Brent Lee Kopacka, 36.

Past reports state that the city of Pullman Police Department Officers were dispatched Wednesday, Dec. 14, at 8:34 p.m. to the 1000th block of Latah Street to where Kopacka was said to be pacing the hall with a gun.

The roommates were evacuated from the apartment, and Pullman Officers attempted to speak with Kopacka but he had barricaded himself inside, past reports say.

Whitman County Regional Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team, including Whitman County Sheriff’s officers (WCSCO), PPD, and the Washington State University Police Department (WSU PD) responded to the incident.

According to reports, prior to the use of lethal force at 3:58 a.m. Thursday morning officers on scene attempted to negotiate with Kopacka through verbal communications and less lethal tools.

Kopacka was a U.S. Army veteran, states his Corbeill Funeral Home obituary, having served in the U.S. Army from 2005 to 2009 in the Second Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division.

Kopacka had fought Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) for 16 years from his service in Afghanistan, states the obituary. The family urges everyone to learn all they can about PTSD to understand what veterans go through, so that they can get the help they need.

Past reports state PPD crisis negotiators and the Whitman County Regional SWAT Team’s negotiations were unsuccessful, due to escalating behavior and continued danger to the public and officers. According to a WSP press release sent out the afternoon of Thursday Dec. 15. Kopacka was shot at 3:58 a.m. Thursday morning by a member of the Whitman County Regional SWAT Team, and found deceased when the apartment was cleared by the SWAT team.

There were no officers injured, and the WSP will release the name of the involved officer at a later time. Past reports state the WSP will be the lead investigating agency in the incident.

The Palouse Area Law Enforcement Critical Incident Response Team (PALECIRT) is currently investigating the officer-involved shooting.

When the PALECIRT investigation is complete, the case will be forwarded to the Whitman County Prosecutor’s Office for review, past report state.