Man dead after being shot by deputies in Pierce County

PIERCE COUNTY, Wash. — A man who investigators said was armed died after being shot by deputies Friday morning in Pierce County.

Officer Loretta Cool said a 9-1-1 call came in around 12:30 from a home on the 5200 block of 390th Street Court East.

Deputies responded about 1 a.m. to a vehicle crash near Eatonville on State Route 7 near 384th Street East.

The homeowner noticed someone suspicious parked in his driveway. He went outside to confront the man, the two got into a fight, and the homeowner fired three shots.

"(The homeowner) felt very threatened and he felt very concerned for the safety of his family and himself and he opted to warn or fire rounds or the suspect knew he was armed and he needed to leave now," said Officer Loretta Cool.

The suspect took off and crashed his truck into another car down the road.

"I pulled up and there was a car wrecked on its side and there was a guy inside. I asked if he's alright, and he wouldn't talk, he wouldn't say nothing at all, and he's bleeding all over and he's acting really weird," said witness Jaime Armstrong.

Tacoma police said the suspect was uncooperative when deputies got the scene.

Officers aren't releasing details about the confrontation, or if the suspect had a weapon, but Armstrong, who witnessed the shooting, believes the man was armed.

"I went behind my truck because I heard gun, and when I went behind my truck I think he fired like three rounds and then they fired back at him," said Armstrong.

Three deputies fired shots.

The suspect died at the scene. Police said he is a man in his 40s who was not immediately known to officers. His name has not been released.

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