By Jay Greene
The Seattle Times
KENT, Wash. — A man was shot dead by Kent police early Sunday afternoon in a shootout near a hotel in the north end of the city.
During the gunfire, one shot hit a propane tank, causing it to explode and injure four of five officers involved in the incident.
Police were called to the hotel near 86th Avenue South and South 228th Street about 10:45 a.m. on a report that someone in the hotel had a firearm, according to Melanie Frazier with Kent police.
When officers arrived, the man ran from the hotel. Police set up a perimeter around the area and spent almost two hours trying to locate the man, eventually finding him behind a nearby landscaping business.
Police say he aimed a gun at them and fired. The five officers returned fire.
The man was hit and died at the scene. How many shots hit him was not available, nor was his identity. None of the officers was hit by gunfire.
During the gunfire, a bullet hit a propane tank, which exploded, injuring four officers. All four were treated by Kent Fire Department medics for burns and chemical exposure. They were taken to Valley Medical Center in Renton for treatment and evaluation.
“We are extremely fortunate that none of our officers were critically injured by gunfire or the explosion,” Frazier said.
Copyright 2014 The Seattle Times