Video of police media briefing on Puget Drive shooting

Everett Police Officer Aaron Snell is serving as the spokesperson for the officer-involved shooting in Edmonds Saturday morning, and took questions from reporters.

The incident occurred at about 7:30 a..m. after police received multiple reports of a man walking on Olympic View drive carrying what appeared to be a rifle. There was a “verbal confrontation” with officers and the man was shot in the 1200 block of Puget Drive, Snell said. Police are not releasing where on his body the man was struck, but Snell did confirm that the man — who is 27 and from Edmonds — is listed in serious condition at Harborview.

Two male officers were involved – a sergeant of 15 years and a corporal of 14 years — and they were placed on administrative leave, standard procedure in these cases. The multi-agency Snohomish County SMART team on scene is investigating, including how many shots were fired. It is unknown if the suspect also fired his weapon or was pointing it at anyone, Snell said. In response to reporters’ questions, Snell said that police don’t yet know the motive for the man carrying the rifle nor whether he had a mental illness.

Snell said that while the shooting occurred in a residential neighborhood, the shots were fired away from houses and toward the Edmonds Elementary School playfield.

  1. Being an avid hunter,I wonder if I stand the risk of being shot by our Police as I load my rifle into my car to go hunting……………..surely there is more to the story than is being published,.

    1. Fred, I feel sure that if one of your neighbors called 911 because you are loading your gun into your car, you would take a couple of minutes to talk to the officers. They don’t just pull into a neighborhood and start shooting.

  2. Why did the police shoot the guy?? He didn’t kill anyone…yet!

    Don’t worry Fred. As an avid hunter and responsible firearms owner we know you will:
    1. Remove you unloaded hunting rifle from the locked storage cabinet in your home.
    2. Place the unloaded rifle, with the trigger lock installed, in a carry case. (This keeps it clean, safe, and shiny.)
    3. Place the case in your car trunk immediately before you leave to go hunting. (Someone could steal it if you pack it the night before.)
    4. Don’t forget the bullets! (Big, shiny, new ammo is the best! Bring lots and your glasses.)
    5. Tell your wife where you are going hunting and when you’ll be back just in case you miss the bear/cat/moose/etc. and they/it get/s you. (This helps the 911 recovery team.)
    Good luck and have fun.

  3. I’ve see the Edmonds police engage in a high speed car chase with an Audi A8 in Edmonds during the Farmers Market. My wife, sons (3yrs and 3mo) has to dash out of the way from speeding patrol cars. I believe the Edmonds police go a little ‘hot’ into situations for as quiet as Edmonds is.

    I’ve always imagined that Edmonds police might over-react to a person carrying a gun (which is never seen in Edmonds). What really happened here is TBD, but I wouldn’t give this police dept the benefit of the doubt.

  4. Matt Richardson, i believe you are thoroughly confused. Let me take a minute to inform you on what our Police Department does. They protect us. The citizens of Edmonds. Now i only know the facts of what the news has pushed out on both of these stories.

    The May 11 “Audi” Incident.
    From What i understand, a man stole his mothers car and decided to taunt the police in a police pursuit around town. Possibly under the influence of drugs. Now if i had a family i would want this man behind grey bars and not driving around our peaceful little Edmonds causing havoc. Seems as if Police force used appropriate force to apprehend the suspect before he could hurt someone.

    Puget Drive shooting
    An updated article (https://myedmondsnews.com/2013/09/edmonds-man-shot-officers-identified-charged-assault-now-jail/) States the subject “leveled the rifle towards officers” In most cases when you aim a gun at a police officer… you just shortened your life expectancy.

  5. Sorry Peter Gibson, chasing a car thru Edmonds encouraged the chase. Police protocol (in today’s civil society) is to NOT engage in high speed car chases. It endangers people’s lives, in this case the lives of me and my family and all those attending the Farmers Market. They pitted the maniac in the Audi right at the water fountain with 100’s of people around. I personally witnessed most of the chase, and even filled out the police report. The police should have let him go and turned it over to detectives. There’s only three roads out-a Edmonds and they could have engaged in a less populous area of town.

    “In most cases when you aim a gun at a police officer… you just shortened your life expectancy.” You bet Peter. I’m afraid of police. 47… that’s the number of police shot and killed nationwide last year. Police do not have a dangerous job. Police kill 1000’s of people -accidentally- each year (see bjs.gov). Police today are being trained to overwhelm suspects thru preemptive force, not respond with equal and opposite action.

    I’d like to add that carrying a riffle around Edmonds is legal behavior and thank goodness this boy wasn’t kill.

    Edmonds PD, please slow down in this town. Keep your bullets in your front pocket. This is a quiet town. We pay you to put your life in danger.

  6. We don’t pay Police officers to put themselves in danger. We pay them to take a proactive response against crime. Which they do a good job at.

    One other thing. Police officers dont kill people accidentally. In this certain situation, if the suspect suffered life altering or ending injuries… when you point a gun at a police officer, then you just made your final bad decision. Id have to agree with you on something. Police officers are trained to take the upper hand. They don’t train to play a balanced game. If you do something for the Police Department to apprehend or disarm you, playing fair is not an option. This is what keeps you and me safe in our quiet streets of Edmonds.

  7. Peter, being a vet I can say that there’s a huge difference between police and military, but the difference is being blurred by police tactics today. Force is a ‘balance game’. Please google ‘necessary force’. Also, there is no mandate for police to take a ‘proactive approach’ at preventing crime. Policing is about enforcing law by observation of crimes that are occurring or have occured. Until further information comes out on this case, all we know is that the Edmonds PD decided to respond to reports of legal behavior; open carry of a riffle. It is suspicious that charges haven’t been brought upon this man yet, to my knowledge. I’m still looking for more info.

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