Centralia police fatally shoot Pierce County child-rape suspect after he stabs officer
A man being sought by Pierce County detectives was fatally shot in Centralia on Friday after stabbing a police officer there, authorities said.
Pierce County detectives were in Centralia to arrest a 32-year-old man for investigation of second-degree child rape, according to a news release from the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.
They were attempting to apprehend the man at about 10:15 a.m. in the 400 block of Northeast Adams Avenue when he appeared to reach for a weapon, the news release said.
One of the Pierce County detectives fired his gun at the man, who ran off.
Multiple law enforcement agencies then began looking for the man with the help of a K-9 unit. About two hours later, they found him in another part of the city.
“While making contact with the suspect, a Centralia Police Officer was stabbed in the head and back area. Officers from the Centralia Police Department then discharged their firearms, striking the suspect,” according to the news release.
The man died at the scene.
“The injured officer was transported by medical aid in order to undergo surgery, and is in stable condition,” the news release said.
Anyone with information on the incident is asked to call the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office at 360-748-9286.
This story was originally published February 18, 2022 at 4:49 PM.
