A man who allegedly fired a pistol in the direction of an Edmonds police officer was charged Friday with second-degree assault in Snohomish County Superior Court.
Gregory Andrew Nelson, 44, was wearing a bulletproof vest when he exchanged gunfire with the officer, according to charging documents. Nelson suffered an arm wound in the Oct. 25 gunfight, but the vest may have prevented greater injury.
The vest stopped one, and possibly two, of the officer’s rounds from penetrating his chest, deputy prosecutor Helene Blume said in court documents.
Nelson was treated for the arm wound before being booked into the Snohomish County Jail, where he was being held on $500,000 bail.
Blume said the case remains under investigation.
Nelson came heavily armed to the parking lot of the Traveler’s Inn in the 22100 block of Highway 99, Blume said. Officers found four guns after Nelson was subdued.
The officer spotted a man acting suspiciously near a car in the parking lot and confronted him. When the officer realized the man had a gun, he drew his service pistol. Nelson reached for the gun and the officer fired five times, Blume said.
Nelson returned fire, Blume said.
According to police reports, the trajectories of some of the bullets fired by Nelson were in the officer’s direction, Blume said.
Nelson is expected to appear in court Monday.
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