TACOMA — The Pierce County prosecutor says a county sheriff’s deputy was justified in fatally shooting a former Army soldier at a University Place apartment in March.
The News Tribune reported that Prosecutor Mark Lindquist said the deputy had little choice but to shoot Brian McLeod, 25, when the former soldier came to the door of the apartment armed with a shotgun and raised it toward the deputy and a Fircrest police officer.
McLeod died after being shot twice in the abdomen during the March 21 confrontation.
Deputy J. Sousley and the Fircrest officer went to the apartment after a fight was reported.
A statement released Thursday by Lindquist’s office says the two officers were greeted by a bloodied man who said he’d been stabbed by someone inside who also had a gun. The prosecutor says McLeod came to the door armed with a shotgun, ignored Sousley’s commands to drop the weapon and raised the gun toward the officers.
McLeod’s family called for a medical examiner’s inquest into the shooting, but county officials declined.
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