Armed man fatally shot by Tacoma police
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TACOMA, Wash. -- An armed man was fatally shot by a Tacoma police officer following a domestic violence incident on Friday.
Tacoma Police Chief Don Ramsdell said the man has been involved in a domestic violence incident elsewhere, but had ended up at a home in the 800 block of South M St.
A confrontation broke out between the man and one of the responding officers. The officer felt threatened by the man and opened fire, Ramsdell said, firing two rounds and hitting the man at least once.
The unidentified man, who is in his 20s, was pronounced dead at the scene. He was on active military duty, according to police.
The officer, a 5-year veteran of the force, has been placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation. Friday's incident was the second shooting in which he had been involved.
It was not immediately clear why the officer felt threatened; however, the chief said the officer's decision to shoot appears to adhere to department policy.
"The officer felt threatened at a certain point of time, at which point he fired two rounds at the individual, hit the individual at least once," Ramsdell said.
Tacoma Police Chief Don Ramsdell said the man has been involved in a domestic violence incident elsewhere, but had ended up at a home in the 800 block of South M St.
A confrontation broke out between the man and one of the responding officers. The officer felt threatened by the man and opened fire, Ramsdell said, firing two rounds and hitting the man at least once.
The unidentified man, who is in his 20s, was pronounced dead at the scene. He was on active military duty, according to police.
The officer, a 5-year veteran of the force, has been placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation. Friday's incident was the second shooting in which he had been involved.
It was not immediately clear why the officer felt threatened; however, the chief said the officer's decision to shoot appears to adhere to department policy.
"The officer felt threatened at a certain point of time, at which point he fired two rounds at the individual, hit the individual at least once," Ramsdell said.
The policeman felt threaten? I feel that way every time my wife gives me a dirty look. Should I go out and shoot her? I can say "Gee officer I felt threaten that she was going to clobber me with a frying pan"â¦..shhh
 @Telman@ Youre honestly trying to associate a extensively trained combat individual involved in a domestic violence related incident being shot by a police officer with your relationship with your wife?
The US society suffers from a terrible disease appropriately called GUN RIGHTS DISEASE and this disease has infected the society beyond any possible cure. The NRA and all its members are infected and the risk is that the rest of us are exposed to this virus. Arguments in support of gun rights are part of the symptoms with the most dangerous being the killings every single day. You are sick and you donât even know it!
 @Socialjusticeforall Again? I shouldnt be surprised honestly. You have the most severe case of OCD concerning your supposed 'gun disease' that I have ever known. When you decide to post some true data on the subject then people will sit and listen until then they will just point and laugh. Is that what you truly want for yourself?
 @Socialjusticeforall You used that in the last article iI read. Get a mind stupid.
 @Telman@ No need to call names now. Whenever there is a weapons related news article, SJFA immediately comes out with their "gun disease" theory with no data to back it up nor desires to hear other peoples input on the subject.
 @Socialjusticeforall You are a fool if you actually believe what you wrote.
I am just not infected.
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 @Socialjusticeforall You are free to either leave the country or start your campaign to change the Constitution. This has nothing to do with guns, it has to do with people - it always has, it always will. The inanimate objects used have become more efficient than the ones in the past but they are still merely tools for an individual to use. How these individuals use those tools is what makes the difference.
 @Socialjusticeforall You may not be "infected" but neither are you truly thinking through the issue.
Seems we're living in East LA only thing missing is having nice beaches and In & Out Burger...
Sounds like a happy ending to me, but a few more details are needed.Â
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 @Kodiak nothing happy here, kodiack. The guy is not automatically elevated to sainthood in my eyes for being a soldier- though I consider that the experience may have contributed to this incident. The cop probably isn't dancing a jig of glee over this either. I see that many people are impacted by this and not in a good way, though perhaps a necessary way, unfortunately. To say this makes you happy is a bit off. But then, maybe you were hoping for a reaction with a comment like that. You got mine, for what it is worth.
@two loons
I was a Snohomish County Sheriff for almost 4 years, so yes I can see your point about no one really being the winner. However with that being said, Iâm glad this guy got his before he hurt someone else. We need more details to know exactly what happened. Now you got a piece of my mind for what its worth. Â
Feeling threatened and being threatened are two different things. But it will be awhile before for details about this come out, and don't entirely trust the media. They report inaccuracies or next to no information all the time.Â
I'm tired of hearing about situations coming to this. Â Stress levels in the military must be overwhelming. Â PD facing kill or be killed daily and nervous enough to pull and shoot.
Fighting a cop is not smart. as I have said before anyone willing to fight a cop will try to kill him given the chance...google Richard Herzlg if you doubt me
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That said,any cop who shoots dead not 1 but 2 people in separate instances should definitely be evaluated for by the psychologists in the dept.
Wow...as of now, nine of ten comments are anti-cop...how about a little more time before you consider the dead as just another wood carver.Â
Must I remind you again of Deputy Herzog? A good cop showed restraint, and look what it got him.
 @Sydthepiper I agree with most of your statement, but as someone who knows the Williams family and sees their grief from time to time, I don't like the reference.
 @two loons No intent to offend...sorry, but the only referral that popped in my head at the time to make the point.
@Sydthepiper When the anti-cop people are in some kind of trouble, at least they won't waste tax payers money by calling the police. They can handle it on their own. :/
@Beau's Mom  Oh yeah, I get it. They aren't on the clock until they get a call, that clears that up, thanks. Is defending for wrongful death free also?
@T_BONE_WALKERÂ Â Â Slow night, huh?Â
Huh. I was in the 'hood when it went down. I was wondering what all the hoohaa was. First there were sirens and fast moving cops. Then a lot more sirens followed by news helicopters.
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'Nother day on Hilltop. Â
"He was on active military duty"
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R.I.P and thank you for your dedicated service to our great country. If it wasn't for young folks like you, we could not enjoy our many freedoms, rights and democracy.
 @T_BONE_WALKER If this guy beat a woman, then physically threatened a cops life, he can bite me and deserves no kudos.  If he was a victim of some unfortunate misunderstanding, then I agree, thanks for defending our Country.  Either way, it's sad somebody died.Â
 @eichler34  @T_BONE_WALKER It was never said that he was the one initiating the Domestic Dispute. For all we know it could have been his girlfriend doing the abuse and he may have been getting arrested for it. The fact that this cop was threatened may have been because the wrong person was being arrested. Also the fact that this is the second instance of which this cop has used his gun, makes me think as if he is "Gun Happy". Enough said since no one knows the entire story. Sad this situation had to come to death, and we thank you Sir for your service in protecting our country so we have the right to post these comments today. Sad to see he was taken by another individual who also is devoted to protecting our nation especially at such a young age...
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-A part of the Military Family.
@eichler34 Where did it say he "beat a woman"? Is it possible that his involvement was that he was the victim of domestic violence? Where did it say he "physically threatened a cops life"? The only fact I see printed is that police reported he was on active military duty.
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Where did you get your information?
"...It was not immediately clear why the officer felt threatened; however, the chief said the officer's decision to shoot appears to adhere to department policy..."
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Interesting how one conclusion can be made without knowing exactly the "why".Â
 @DualLeads You are correct in your statement.
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Just another day in the Great Pacific Northwest. I can't remember a week that has went buy where a cop hasn't gunned down someone in a very long time.
Maybe while the officer is on leave he can go to New York to give shooting lessons to the NYPD.
@LockesChild LOL
5yrs on the force and involved in two shootings?? Get this loose cannon off the streets already. Most LEO go their entire career without even un-holstering their service weapon.Â
@notez2cme - That is an uneducated response and blatantly untrue.
@notez2cme Not anymore, just have a conversation with one and you'll see the whole "Us against them" thing just rolling off their tongues. Watch them when they are working with the public, they attempt to use intimidation with their weapons and uniform to try and appear like an authority. They aint like regular cops in the 50s or 60s, they're more like gangs of high tech criminals protecting each other while they witness each other break the law. I wonder if this guy mistakenly thought he was safe with a cop around. This cop was likely playing with one of his toys and it cost someone that needed help his life. Times have changed and I consider them an extreme threat to my safety anytime I see one and I've never had an arrest, conviction, record or been wanted for anything.
 @T_BONE_WALKER  @notez2cme I am disheartened by all the conjecture coming from supporters of both sides of this story. We do not yet have the full story.
@two loons @notez2cme You must be mistaken at whom you're responding to. No conjecture in my post, just my observations.
Double Tap...taking out the trash!Â
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 @n9078jk4 You mean the cop or the military member? Seems a little even to me.