Pullman man killed by law enforcement during standoff

PULLMAN — A Pullman, Washington man was shot and killed by a law enforcement officer Wednesday night after a standoff at his apartment near Washington State University.

The Pullman Police Department said in a news release that the man, who was in his 30s, was shot and killed by a member of the Whitman County Regional SWAT Team after he reportedly began firing a weapon from his apartment.

Police were called to the home just before 8:40 p.m. for a reported “weapon offense,” according to the news release. The police department said the man was threatening to kill his roommates, who were evacuated from the apartment. When officers attempted to talk to the man, they said he barricaded himself inside.

When crisis negotiators and the SWAT team arrived to the scene, police said the man began firing shots from the apartment. The area was evacuated, and Washington State University students and staffers were told to “shelter in place.”

Law enforcement officers first used non-lethal shots during the gunfire exchange, the department said, but later switched to regular ammunition.

“After unsuccessful negotiations, escalating behavior and continued danger to the public and officers, the male was shot by a member of the Whitman County Regional SWAT Team,” the news release said. “The suspect was found deceased when the Whitman County Regional SWAT Team cleared the apartment.”

The Washington State Patrol is now investigating the officer-involved shooting, as required by state law.

The man’s name was not released.