Bremerton man killed by Poulsbo officer in Silverdale traffic stop

A 23-year-old Bremerton man was shot and killed in Silverdale by a Poulsbo police officer during a traffic stop Friday night.

A handgun was located at the scene, officials reported.

The officer, part of a multi-jurisdictional patrol looking for drunken drivers, had pulled the man over at 10:30 p.m. in the parking lot of Timberland Bank, 2401 NW Bucklin Hill Road, according to a statement from the Kitsap County Sheriff's Office.

“Although the investigation is in its early stages, a preliminary analysis indicates that the officer contacted the driver during the course of a traffic stop,” said Sheriff Steve Boyer in the statement. “Almost immediately the officer was engaged in a struggle with the driver and shots were fired. A handgun was found at the scene.”

Central Kitsap Fire and Rescue personnel were called to the scene to render aid. Instead of flying the man to a Seattle hospital, which would have taken more time, he was taken to Harrison Medical Center in Bremerton, where he died, the statement said.

Identification of the man is pending notification of his family, sheriff's spokesman Deputy Scott Wilson.

The Poulsbo officer was placed on administrative assignment following the shooting, which was witnessed by a Navy petty officer who was riding with the officer at the time. The department will conduct an internal review, and a sheriff's office report will be forwarded to prosecutors for a review as well.

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