A deputy with the Kittitas County Sheriff’s Office has been fired after he was arrested at his home on felony charges involving a firearm Sunday morning.
An outside agency is conducting the criminal investigation, while the sheriff’s office is in the midst of an internal investigation.
The deputy, Nick Burson, was at the Brick Saloon in Roslyn Saturday night while off duty and, according to witnesses, became verbally abusive to members of the public and the staff. When other patrons confronted him, he identified himself as a law enforcement officer and threatened physical violence. After he was asked to leave, he pointed a handgun at people standing in front of the tavern before driving away.
He was arrested at his home early Sunday morning after the incident on felony charges involving a firearm. The deputy was booked into the Yakima County Jail.
No shots were fired, and no injuries were reported.
“Mr. Burson is a friend, a family member, and has served this community for many years,” Clay Myers, the Kittitas County Sheriff, stated. “His actions do not erase the many things he has done in support of public safety, and there are numerous people who would not be alive today had it not been for him. That said, no level of past good justifies the alleged behavior, and his actions now forfeit his right to continue providing service as a sheriff’s deputy, and he must now face the consequences of unlawfully endangering members of the public.”
Myers said that the incident was both “very isolated and unfortunate.”
“To the members of the sheriff’s office, some in the public will view this situation as a reflection on you and the uniform you wear,” Myers added in his prepared statement. “They should not. You had no knowledge of, and you played no role in these events, and you share none of the responsibility. I am confident in your dedication to the mission, values, goals, and objectives of the sheriff’s office, and I fully support you and your dedicated service.”
This is a developing story, check back for updates
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This story was originally published on MyNorthwest.com.
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