Fatal Shooting Was Second For Tacoma Police Officer
The Tacoma Police officer who fatally shot a domestic-violence suspect Wednesday night also had shot and killed a suspected car prowler four years ago.
The earlier shooting was ruled justified. And police said preliminary findings indicate Wednesday's shooting also was justified.
Michael Mitchell, 22, was shot in the chest at his Tacoma apartment Wednesday night as he lunged at Officer Mark Fedderson with what department spokeswoman Corina Hopkins called a "good-sized folding pocket knife." Mitchell died shortly before 3:30 a.m. yesterday in Madigan Army Medical Center.
Mitchell had ignored several warnings by Fedderson to drop the knife as he charged across a small living room, threatening Fedderson, Hopkins said.
Fedderson has been placed on administrative leave.
Fedderson, 33, and a member of the department for almost six years, shot and killed a car-prowling suspect in January 1993 in East Tacoma. He was chasing the suspect on foot when they got into a wrestling match. The suspect snatched the officer's baton and was hitting Fedderson on the head with it when the officer shot him.