Armed suspect who allegedly shot at children fatally shot by deputies near Tum Tum

A man was fatally shot by Stevens County deputies July 2 after authorities said he came out of a residence armed with a handgun and pointed it toward deputies near Tum Tum.

Stevens County 911 received a shots-fired call at 5:22 p.m. in the 7200 block of Highway 291, according to a July 3 statement from the Stevens County Sheriff’s Office. The caller reported that her two children had been shot at by a man while they were riding a four-wheeler. She also told dispatchers that her husband went to check on what had happened and was confronted by the man with a gun.

Two deputies initially responded but were unable to make contact at the suspect’s residence. Two additional deputies later arrived and began working on a search warrant for the house while deputies continued attempts to contact the suspect.

At about 8:24 p.m., the man came out of the residence armed with a handgun, according to the sheriff’s office. Authorities said he refused commands and advanced toward deputies. A deputy struck him with a less-lethal munition, which the sheriff’s office said was initially effective.

The man then raised his handgun toward deputies, who fired multiple rounds, killing him, according to the sheriff’s office.

The Washington State Patrol’s independent investigative team is handling the investigation, as required under Washington law. The four deputies involved have been placed on critical incident leave, which is standard procedure in such cases.

The sheriff’s office said WSP will serve as the lead agency for future media releases. Under state law, the sheriff’s office cannot participate in the investigation and said it will not release additional information.