Richland police shoot man, 74, who wielded a shotgun

Published 1:30 am Monday, April 8, 2019

By Annette Cary / Tri-City Herald

RICHLAND — A 74-year-old man was shot by police near a Richland church Sunday morning.

Michael H. Miller of Richland called 911 about 9 a.m., telling a dispatcher he had a shotgun and saying he was near The Bridge, a church in north Richland, according to Richland police.

Police found him in the area of Jadwin Avenue and Berkshire Street, not far from the church building.

When they tried to talk to him, he fired his shotgun into the air, according to police reports.

Officers continued to try to communicate with him, until he pointed his shotgun at them, said police.

When he refused their orders, officers fired at Miller and he was hit.

Medics were at the scene and treated him as soon as police said it was safe to approach him. He was taken to a hospital and his condition was not immediately available.

The Tri-City Regional SWAT team was called to the incident, arriving shortly after Miller was shot. They helped to take Miller into custody, according to police reports.

The Tri-City Special Investigations Unit, made up of detectives from area police departments, will investigate the shooting.

The name of an officer who shot Miller has not been released. He has been placed on administrative leave, as is police policy.

About a month ago, Tri-City police agencies announced a new program to have mental health professionals ride with police officers to provide immediate help when people are in mental health crises.

However, no mental health professional was at the incident because the incident unfolded quickly and in an environment where safety could not be ensured, said police officials.