LYNNWOOD — A Lynnwood man allegedly pointed a handgun at Snohomish County sheriff’s deputies before he was shot outside his parents’ house Wednesday.
Matthew Scott Wiese, 46, died of multiple gunshot wounds. Before reportedly brandishing the gun, he had lobbed fireworks at the deputies.
Two deputies and a sergeant remain on paid administrative leave. That is standard practice for officers involved in deadly-force incidents. All three fired at Wiese and at least one other deputy witnessed the shooting, according to a search warrant obtained by The Herald on Friday.
The deadly confrontation happened after deputies were called Wednesday evening to investigate allegations that Wiese violated a protection order obtained by his wife.
The woman told deputies that her husband had called her and driven by her home in south Everett, violating a court order granted in late May. A deputy served Wiese with the order on June 5.
That was the same day Wiese pleaded guilty to violating a previous domestic violence protection order. His jail sentence was suspended. He was ordered to remain crime-free for two years and not violate any court orders.
On Wednesday, a deputy found Wiese’s pickup truck outside his parents’ home in the 15200 block of Meadow Road, north of Martha Lake. Wiese was living in a travel trailer on the property.
The deputy later radioed that Wiese was launching aerial fireworks at him. Several other deputies raced to the scene.
A deputy who witnessed the shooting told detectives that he arrived to a chaotic scene. Deputies, he said, were “pinned down” next to their vehicles as Wiese reportedly lobbed fireworks from the travel trailer.
Then Wiese allegedly came out of the trailer with a long-barreled handgun pointed in the direction of officers. Deputies repeatedly yelled for Wiese to drop the gun, the search warrant said. He reportedly ignored their orders. Some deputies took cover behind trees.
Three deputies opened fire, hitting Wiese several times. He fell to the ground. Deputies handcuffed him and began efforts to try to save his life.
The Lynnwood father was taken to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, where he later died.
The shooting is being investigated by the Snohomish County Multiple Agency Response Team. Two detectives, one from Everett and another from Mukilteo, have been assigned to lead the probe.
Detectives obtained a warrant to search the property. They seized fireworks, a gun and bullet fragments, according to the court papers. The search warrant also indicates that the incident may have been caught on video. The family had a security camera mounted to the house.
An Everett police sergeant spoke with the slain man’s father, who said that his son took some medication for mental illness, the search warrant said.
The deputy who witnessed the shooting told investigators that he was familiar with Wiese from prior contacts, including an incident when Wiese was involuntarily committed for a mental health evaluation. The search warrant does not say when Wiese was hospitalized.
Court records indicate that Wiese had physical confrontations with police in the past. Deputies used an electric stun gun to subdue him last year while they investigated allegations that he had rammed his pickup into the garage at his wife’s house. A deputy reported that Wiese refused his commands and cussed at police. It took several deputies to put the 330-pound man into the back of a patrol car.
Prosecutors dropped the felony malicious mischief charge against Wiese in connection with the 2012 ramming incident. Instead, Wiese pleaded guilty in April to violating a protection order. He served several weeks in jail and was ordered to pay more than $10,000 in damages.
He and his wife were in court again on May 15, asking to terminate the no-contact order. Two days later, his wife sought another protection order, alleging that Wiese showed up at her house extremely drunk and caused a disturbance. Police were called.
A judge granted the protection order and Wiese was prohibited from having contact with his wife or teenage daughter.
That order was in place on Wednesday.
Results of the investigation into the fatal shooting eventually will be forwarded to Snohomish County Prosecuting Attorney Mark Roe, who will decide if deputies were legally justified.
Diana Hefley: 425-339-3463; hefley@heraldnet.com.
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