Deputies shoot, kill man in intersection near South Hill Mall following pursuit
A police pursuit ended with the shooting death of a man Tuesday afternoon in a busy intersection near South Hill Mall, police said.
Several Pierce County Sheriff’s Department deputies shot the man in the intersection of 31st Avenue Southwest and South Meridian following a short chase Tuesday afternoon, according to Puyallup Police Department spokesperson Capt. Ryan Portmann.
The man, who was in a Chevrolet Tahoe, was shot just after 3 p.m. He was declared dead at the scene.
No law enforcement personnel were injured, said Sheriff’s Department spokesperson Sgt. Darren Moss.
The suspect was wanted for a violent felony, Moss said. He was unable to provide further details.
Lakewood Police Sgt. Charles Porche, acting as the Pierce County Force Investigation Team spokesperson, said the Sheriff’s Department had been looking for the suspect when they found him at the South Hill Park and Ride at 31st Avenue Southwest and 94th Avenue East.
A chase ensued which ended in the Meridian intersection.
“(The suspect) exited the car and was armed with a pistol at the time and shortly thereafter shots were fired,” Porche said.
It’s unknown if the suspect fired his gun. There were other people in the suspect’s vehicle. They were uninjured but were detained and taken from the scene, Porche said.
Multiple civilian vehicles were hit by bullets, Moss said, but it was unknown if the rounds were fired by law enforcement or the suspect. A nearby building was also struck.
The large police police presence snarled traffic in the area Tuesday afternoon, according to multiple law enforcement agencies.
The eastbound exit from state Route 512 onto Meridian/state Route 161 was shut down about 3:45 p.m., according to Washington State Patrol spokesperson Trooper John Dattilo.
According to Puyallup Police, both directions of 31st Ave. SW were closed between 9th Street SW and Meridian.
This story was originally published November 28, 2023 at 4:01 PM.
