Crime

Off-duty Lakewood officer shoots suspect

A Lakewood police cruiser is parked at the scene of an officer-involved shooting south of Port Orchard early Sunday. The Lakewood officer shot a man who was later arrested for unlawful possession of a firearm, Kitsap County sheriff’s spokesman Earl Smith said.
A Lakewood police cruiser is parked at the scene of an officer-involved shooting south of Port Orchard early Sunday. The Lakewood officer shot a man who was later arrested for unlawful possession of a firearm, Kitsap County sheriff’s spokesman Earl Smith said. Courtesy

A Lakewood police officer who was driving home early Sunday near Port Orchard shot and wounded a suspect, according to the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office.

The Lakewood officer encountered the man about 3:50 a.m. at Brasch Road and Granada Place southeast of Port Orchard before shooting the man once in the arm, Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Lt. Earl Smith said.

“I don’t know what drew the officer to the person, what drew his attention,” said Smith, who said the Washington State Patrol is helping with the investigation.

The man’s wound was not life-threatening, Smith said, but it did result in him being taken to a Tacoma hospital.

The suspect was later released from the hospital and booked into Kitsap County Jail on suspicion of unlawful possession of a firearm, Smith said. His bail was set at $100,000.

Lakewood police spokesman Chris Lawler was not authorized to give further information on the circumstances surrounding the shooting.

The officer has been put on administrative leave in accordance with Lakewood police policy, Lawler said.

Kenny Ocker: 253-597-8627, @KennyOcker

This story was originally published January 29, 2017 at 12:59 PM with the headline "Off-duty Lakewood officer shoots suspect."

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