AUBURN, Wash. — An Auburn officer shot a man near Auburn Way North after a police chase on Wednesday.
According to detectives, the suspect was also threatening drivers and people on the street with a gun.
Police say they spotted a stolen blue vehicle near Auburn Way South around 2 p.m. An officer's attempts to stop the vehicle was unsuccessful. The suspect reportedly ran a red light, crashed into another vehicle and avoided a PIT maneuver.
Officers did eventually spot the vehicle near Auburn Way North and 9th Street where the suspect had ditched the vehicle.
Justin Emery works near where the suspect exited his car. He thought the man was involved in a crash and came outside to check it out. It was clear the suspect was on the run and as officers pulled up, Emery says he tried to keep the suspect there.
"I kind of boxed him in a little bit and he wasn't having any of it," Emery said. "He pulled out his gun and said 'f*** you, I'll shoot you.' I just put my hands up and said go."
Police say the suspect was threatening people and drivers with his gun as he ran from officers.
"He has the gun and he's running down the street," Emery says. "I mean, that was terrifying."
According to Emery, two other good Samaritans unsuccessfully tried to get the suspect to calm down.
"A white truck tried to box him in and he pulled a gun on that guy in the truck," Emery says. "As soon as he pulled the gun on that driver, the cops just opened fire on him."
An officer fired two shots, hitting the suspect once. The suspect was taken to Harborview Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries.
The owner of the stolen blue vehicle says it was taken on Monday.
This is Auburn's third officer involved shooting in 2017.
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