Eastern Adams County's Only Independent Voice Since 1887
Eastern Adams County's Only Independent Voice Since 1887
Names of involved officers still being withheld
HATTON – The Grant County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed that a Warden man was killed in a shootout with law enforcement officers Sunday, June 25.
Ramon O. Morfin, 29, of Warden, was pronounced dead at about 2:30 p.m. Sunday near the intersection of state Highway 26 and Kulm Road, just outside Hatton, a small community west of U.S. Highway 395. Morfin’s identity was confirmed Tuesday morning, June 27, by Sheriff’s Office spokesman Kyle Foreman.
The names of the officers involved in the shooting have yet to be released publicly. But according to a report on the fatal shooting, three Adams County Sheriff’s Office deputies and an Othello police officer were involved.
The Columbia Basin Investigative Team is conducting an independent investigation of the officer-involved shooting and lethal use of force.
Adams County Sheriff Dale Wagner confirmed Monday, June 26, that at least one deputy has been placed on administrative leave, as is standard operating procedure in an officer-involved shooting.
Morfin was wanted on an outstanding state Department of Corrections warrant at the time he was shot and killed, records show.
On June 25, an Othello police officer and three Adams County Sheriff’s Office deputies went to his place of employment in the 700 block of South Kulm Road to try to take him into custody, records show. When law enforcement arrived at 2:20 p.m. Morfin was outside.
Deputies tried to arrest him, but he pulled out a gun and fired at them, records show. The officers returned fire and Morfin was hit; medics declared Morfin dead at 2:30 p.m. His next of kin was notified of his death Sunday night.
None of the law enforcement officers was shot, records show.
Investigators have yet to say how many times Morfin had been struck by bullets.
Records show the officers were equipped with body cameras.
Video footage from body and any other cameras will be reviewed by investigators before being released publicly.
Roger Harnack is owner/publisher of Free Press Publishing. An award-winning journalist, photographer, editor and publisher who grew up in Eastern Washington, he's one of only two Washington state journalists ever to receive the international Golden Quill for editorial/commentary writing. Roger is committed to preserving local media, and along with it, a local voice for Eastern Washington.
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