Court documents say partner fired shot that killed Bothell officer

New details in the investigation of Bothell officer’s shooting death

Court documents say Officer Jonathan Shoop's partner fired the shot that killed him.

SEATTLE (AP) - Charging documents filed Friday in the fatal shooting of a Bothell police officer say it was the officer’s partner, not the suspect, who fired the deadly shot.

Prosecutors charged Henry Eugene Washington with aggravated first-degree murder and other crimes Friday in the death of Bothell officer Jonathan Shoop.

They said that Washington began firing into the patrol car after he was pulled over Monday night. Shoop was in the driver’s seat, and his partner, Mustafa Kumcur, was in the passenger seat.

Officer Jonathan Shoop

They returned fire, and one of the bullets the partner fired struck Shoop in the head.

Casey McNerthney, a spokesman for the King County Prosecutor’s Office, said in an emailed statement that Washington was legally responsible for the death.

“But for Mr. Washington’s directed attack on the officers, Officer Shoop would be alive today,” he said.

An attorney for Washington did not immediately return a call seeking comment.