Man found dead inside Puyallup home after police shot his armed wife identified
A man found dead inside his Puyallup home after police shot and injured his armed wife has been identified.
Nicholas Andrew Bunten, 31, died June 7 of multiple gunshot wounds, according to the Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Investigators believe his 34-year-old wife killed him before Bunten’s parents called police asked them to do a welfare check after not hearing from him.
Officers went a home in the 500 block of Valley Avenue NE, where Bunten lived with his wife and four children, but Bunten’s wife refused to open the door.
“Relatives on scene said that the wife claimed her husband was asleep, but as their investigation continued officers became concerned for the welfare of the husband and believed that the woman was armed with several firearms,” Capt. Dan Pashon said in a news release.
A tactical response team responded and was able to get all four children safely out of the home. A negotiator then made contact with Bunten’s wife, who allegedly fired multiple shots toward officers.
They returned fire and shot Bunten’s wife.
She was taken to a hospital to be treated for a gunshot wound, released this week and booked into Pierce County Jail on suspicion of second-degree murder. Prosecutors are reviewing criminal charges against Bunten’s wife, who is expected to appear in court Wednesday.
