Man fatally shot by Puyallup police is identified by Pierce County medical examiner
A 36-year-old man who was fatally shot by a Puyallup Police Department officer last month was identified Tuesday by the Pierce County medical examiner.
Joseph Sanchez, 36, died Feb. 11 of multiple gunshot wounds, the Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office said in a news release. The office ruled his death a homicide. The office said Sanchez’s hometown was unknown.
The officer who shot him was identified Saturday as Josh Schaub, 32, who has been with the Puyallup Police Department for two years and nine months.
Investigators from the Pierce County Force Investigation Team have said that police were called about 10:50 p.m. to the area of North Meridian and Valley Avenue after witnesses reported a man walking in traffic, jumping on cars and trying to enter vehicles.
Officers contacted Sanchez, but he climbed over a guard rail and walked to the 200 block of Todd Road Northeast, according to PCFIT. Investigators have not described the interaction that occurred between Sanchez and police before he was shot.
“Puyallup Officers asked for priority backup and later announced shots had been fired,” the team previously reported.
PCFIT has not said if Sanchez was armed or provided further details about why Schaub opened fire.
Police took measures to try to save the man’s life, according to investigators, but he died at the scene.
This story was originally published March 1, 2022 at 2:19 PM.
