Bremerton officer opens fire at driver after armed robbery
BREMERTON, Wash. - An officer responding to a report of an armed robbery early Saturday opened fire at the driver of a car who was pulled over a few minutes later, but the driver got away and it's not known if he was hit.
The incident unfolded Saturday just before 3:40 a.m. as officers were dispatched to the Taco Bell restaurant in the 4200 block of Wheaton Way for a reported robbery with a firearm, said Lt. Peter Fisher of the Bremerton police.
A few minutes later, an officer responding to the robbery spotted a vehicle a few blocks south of the robbery with a driver who matched the description of the robbery suspect.
When the officer pulled the car over, the driver of the car got out, and the officer fired multiple rounds at the driver. Shortly afterwards the officer radioed that the driver had fled the scene on foot and shots had been fired, said Scott Wilson of the Kitsap County Sheriff's Office.
The driver was last seen running south toward Sylvan Way, and it was unclear if any of the rounds fired by the officer hit him. The officer was uninjured.
Officers set up a containment area, with the assistance of the Washington State Patrol and the Kitsap County Sheriff’s office, and a K-9 police dog was brought in, but the driver of the car was not found.
The suspect in the armed robbery is described as a black male with a thin build wearing a dark blue hooded sweatshirt pulled low over his eyes, a black cloth over his nose and mouth, and wearing dark pants. He was reportedly armed with a gun.
The Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the officer-involved shooting. The Bremerton Police Department is investigating the armed robbery.
The officer involved in the shooting has been placed on paid administrative leave, which is standard procedure in officer-involved shootings.
Anyone with information about the armed robbery is asked to call Bremerton Police at (360) 473-5228.
The incident unfolded Saturday just before 3:40 a.m. as officers were dispatched to the Taco Bell restaurant in the 4200 block of Wheaton Way for a reported robbery with a firearm, said Lt. Peter Fisher of the Bremerton police.
A few minutes later, an officer responding to the robbery spotted a vehicle a few blocks south of the robbery with a driver who matched the description of the robbery suspect.
When the officer pulled the car over, the driver of the car got out, and the officer fired multiple rounds at the driver. Shortly afterwards the officer radioed that the driver had fled the scene on foot and shots had been fired, said Scott Wilson of the Kitsap County Sheriff's Office.
The driver was last seen running south toward Sylvan Way, and it was unclear if any of the rounds fired by the officer hit him. The officer was uninjured.
Officers set up a containment area, with the assistance of the Washington State Patrol and the Kitsap County Sheriff’s office, and a K-9 police dog was brought in, but the driver of the car was not found.
The suspect in the armed robbery is described as a black male with a thin build wearing a dark blue hooded sweatshirt pulled low over his eyes, a black cloth over his nose and mouth, and wearing dark pants. He was reportedly armed with a gun.
The Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the officer-involved shooting. The Bremerton Police Department is investigating the armed robbery.
The officer involved in the shooting has been placed on paid administrative leave, which is standard procedure in officer-involved shootings.
Anyone with information about the armed robbery is asked to call Bremerton Police at (360) 473-5228.
"The suspect in the armed robbery is described as a black male with a thin build wearing a dark blue hooded sweatshirt pulled low over his eyes.."
Â
Oh good....they just described 70% of the population of Bremerton...
Yup, wearing a hoodie. Sure, it's really cold weather right now. My ears are just freezing in this 90 degree weather. As far as I'm concerned the cops should be busting everyone wearing a hoodie right now.
Why did the LEO use a gun? That is excessive force. He should have just asked him nicely to give himself up. Why can't cops just be nice anymore? Whyyyyyyyyyy?????
Â
:-)
Hmmph... A sober reminder of what happens when you become desperate enough to do things like this. I wonder how long the entire incident was?
my friend's mother-in-law brought in $14809 last week. she makes money on the laptop and got a $406200 house. All she did was get lucky and apply the clues leaked on this link
http://LazyCash49.com
Â
Good job officer. Hopefully you hit him/her. Any and all thieves should meet their maker by the hands of the police and/or the public they are attempting to rob. Enough is enough. Take out the trash. WM is back in business.Â
The consideration in this does the person (Robber) who had just threatened to use force against another is a risk to do it again to others in the future. That is the question and he/she came up with the answer.
Â
(2) In considering whether to use deadly force under subsection (1)(c) of this section, to arrest or apprehend any person for the commission of any crime, the peace officer must have probable cause to believe that the suspect, if not apprehended, poses a threat of serious physical harm to the officer or a threat of serious physical harm to others. Among the circumstances which may be considered by peace officers as a "threat of serious physical harm" are the following:     (a) The suspect threatens a peace officer with a weapon or displays a weapon in a manner that could reasonably be construed as threatening; or     (b) There is probable cause to believe that the suspect has committed any crime involving the infliction or threatened infliction of serious physical harm.     Under these circumstances deadly force may also be used if necessary to prevent escape from the officer, where, if feasible, some warning is given.     (3) A public officer or peace officer shall not be held criminally liable for using deadly force without malice and with a good faith belief that such act is justifiable pursuant to this section.
Instead of trying to disarm innocent citizens maybe they should think about outlawing hoodies?Â
 @JT Sounds like the same argument with the Trayvon Martin case. The driver ran away which put doubt into his innocence.
Knowing the guy was armed and getting out of the car there is probably 1 second for the officer to take action like he did or have the criminal use his weapon. I fully support the use of leathal force in this matter it's just a shame he wasn't such a good shooter.
Just one teency tiny little tidbit of info missing from this story: WHY did the officer shoot at the suspect for exiting the vehicle? An officer doesn't usually open fire on a fleeing suspect unless the suspect has a weapon in his hand and either points it at the cop or someone else. I'm sure the cop knew the suspect was armed- not doggin on the officer's response... just the missing info in the news story.
Â
(ya- I don't need all you SPD bashers out there pointing out the rash of shootings in Seattle- I get it)
 @Content_People Since the officer was made aware that the person was armed, one of the first orders a LEO says is to remain in the car with their hands on the wheel. Its to protect the officer as well as the person in the car. Since the driver decided to try to get out of the car against instruction, it was considered a hostile action and the officer took action to protect himself.
I'm waiting for KOMO to turn this into an excessive force story....
@skulls98040 Me too, but I was also surprised that this is the second story this week when the suspect was decsribed as "black". Maybe KOMO is comming around?Â
@skulls98040 no kidding...that would be the komo thing to do
If the officer shoots a person and kills him, it will start another DOJ investigation for unlawful use of force? I'd say if a weapon of any sort is in the hand of a crook, the officer has the right to use a weapon too. It isn't an excessive use of force if the robber has a whimpy weapon compared to the officer. Did the Japanese cry excessive use of force against our military for having an atom bomb dropped on them? Whether military or civil, you're a crook at war with civilians when you break a law.  This is why most homeowners shooting an intruder are not charged with a crime and justified in their actions.
@longarmofthelaw Exactly! If you go against an officer's orders, then actions will be taken.
too bad he didn't take him out.