The sound of gunshots in a quiet Mill Creek neighborhood on Friday morning, Jan. 25, was a sobering reminder to community members that crime happens everywhere.
It began with a reported car prowl in the 2600 block of 163rd Street Southeast. Officers were investigating the call at around 3:30 a.m. when a series of gunshots broke the morning silence.
Little information is being released about the events that reportedly led a veteran Mill Creek police officer to open fire, fatally shooting a 33-year-old man.
A “shots-fired” call brought additional officers to the scene, where they found the wounded man, say detectives with the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Department.
The man, identified as Jesse Quincy, was taken to Harborview Medical Center, where he died from a gunshot wound to the head, according to the Snohomish County medical examiner.
It has not been confirmed whether the man was a suspect in the earlier reported car prowl, but a spokesperson for the sheriff’s department said on Tuesday, Jan. 29, that detectives are getting a search warrant for a black truck that was towed from the scene.
The officer who allegedly opened fire has been placed on paid administrative leave.
It’s a lot for community members to take in. Mill Creek is a relatively quiet city.
“We’d like to think that our neighborhoods are immune to this sort of the thing, but that’s just not the case,” said Steve Winters, public information officer for the Mill Creek Police Department.
While he could not comment on the shooting or the related investigation, Winters addressed residents’ fears, offering a few suggestions on ways they can reduce criminal activity in their neighborhoods.
“Look out for each other; know your neighbors,” he said. “You’ll have an easier time judging suspicious activity if you know your neighbors’ routines.”
Car prowls, like the one reported just prior to the shooting, are among the city’s most common crimes.
“You want to believe you can leave a purse or a computer in your car so long as it’s parked in your neighborhood,” Winters said. “Thieves count on that and these crimes happen in quiet communities like Mill Creek just like they happen in big, metropolitan areas.”
The message law enforcement and city leaders are emphasizing most: Mill Creek is safer now than it was a year ago. Crime rates have been on a downslope for more than a year as vacancies in the police department have been filled by new officers.
The department is in a position now to emphasize crime prevention, Police Chief Bob Crannell said in an interview a few months ago.
News of a neighborhood shooting is alarming, but rare in Mill Creek.
“I hope people realize that we’re dealing with an isolated incident,” Mayor Terry Ryan said. “Our police officers are an exceptional group of people and they do a great job protecting our city.”
As the region grows, police warn that criminal activity will follow.
“You have to accept that crime happens everywhere,” Winters said. “It doesn’t matter where you live, you shouldn’t leave your car running while you run in the house to grab a drink or something. You also have to accept that you’re never going to protect yourself completely. If someone wants to steal your car bad enough, they’ll do it.”
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