Man killed after pursuit with deputies near Buckley shot himself, investigation finds
A man pursued by Pierce County deputies Sunday after a woman was fatally shot in Buckley killed himself after deputies stopped his car on the outskirts of the city, according to the county’s force investigation team.
The Pierce County medical examiner found the man died of a single gunshot wound to the head, according to a news release from the Pierce County Force Investigation Team. No other gunshot injuries were found that would have been caused by deputies who pursued him, PCFIT said.
The man has not been publicly identified. The medical examiner ruled his death a suicide.
Physical evidence found at the scene corroborated that determination, the PCFIT said. A firearm and a single fired shell casing with a corresponding bullet defect was found inside the vehicle, according to the news release.
The medical examiner and detectives reviewed footage of the incident, which, PCFIT reports, supported the determination that the man shot himself.
Pierce County Sheriff’s Department deputies were pursuing the man while assisting Buckley Police Department with a homicide investigation. Just after midnight Sunday, Buckley police received a call about a man who shot and killed his girlfriend at a residence, then fled.
According to PCFIT’s report, Pierce County deputies saw the man’s vehicle before Buckley police arrived at the residence and used “stop sticks” to slow the vehicle while following him. Once deputies had more information about the homicide, PCFIT said deputies had probable cause to pursue and stop the vehicle about 12:20 a.m.
The vehicle was stopped at Mundy Loss Road East at 96th Street East, north of state Route 410, Sgt. Darren Moss said Sunday.
Two minutes later, deputies announced that shots were fired. The man died at the scene.
This story was originally published January 13, 2022 at 2:23 PM.
