Washington State Trooper Fatally Shoots Man with Hammer in Interstate Attack

On May 17, a fatal shooting incident occurred along Interstate 5 north of Seattle, Washington. A state trooper fatally shot a man who had attacked state Department of Transportation workers with a hammer. The incident took place around 4 p.m. on Thursday when state patrol troopers responded to a report of a road rage incident on the shoulder of I-5 northbound in Everett, as reported by the Snohomish County Multiple Agency Response Team.

According to investigators, the driver of a vehicle began ramming a Department of Transportation contractor vehicle that had a lift operating over a slough with two contractors on board. The driver, armed with a hammer, got into an altercation with the workers and a trooper. Subsequently, the trooper fatally shot the driver, who died at the scene despite aid from law enforcement.

Injuries and Identity Confirmation

During the incident, one of the Department of Transportation contract workers was injured but is expected to survive. The names of the trooper and the deceased individual have not been disclosed. The Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s Office was expected to confirm the driver's identity, as well as the cause and manner of death.

The Snohomish County Multiple Agency Response Team is tasked with investigating police use of force incidents. The exact circumstances that led to the shooting, the number of shots fired, and the reason behind the driver's actions are currently unclear. The incident caused significant disruption to traffic, leading to miles of backed-up vehicles throughout the night.