Man shot in Lake Stevens refused to put down gun, police say

LAKE STEVENS — A 22-year-old man shot by a Lake Stevens police sergeant late Tuesday night remained in critical condition Wednesday afternoon.

Investigators say the shooting occurred during a confrontation with officers in downtown Lake Stevens.

The man reportedly refused to drop a rifle and the Lake Stevens sergeant fired his weapon. The sergeant, who has 10 years on the force, was placed on administrative leave, which is standard procedure after police shootings.

Law enforcement officers initially were called for reports of gunshots just before 11 p.m. in the area of Main Street and 18th Street NE, said Everett police officer Aaron Snell, a spokesman for the Snohomish County Multiple Agency Response Team. SMART investigates incidents where police use potentially fatal force.

Details were slim on what led to the gunfire, which reportedly happened on the roadway about 45 minutes after 911 was called for the earlier shots.

Snohomish and Arlington police officers, as well as Snohomish County sheriff’s deputies, were called to the scene at some point, Snell said. No other officers were placed on leave. No other injuries were reported. A rifle was recovered at the scene.

The names of those involved were not made public Wednesday. It was the first police-involved shooting reported in Snohomish County since May 2015.

Rikki King: 425-339-3449; rking@heraldnet.com.

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