King County deputy fatally shoots man in Auburn while responding to gunshots

AUBURN, Wash. - A King County Sheriff’s deputy shot and killed a  32-year-old man Saturday afternoon in Auburn while responding to a gun being shot in a nearby backyard.

Sgt. Ryan Abbott said the deputy was flagged down while leaving a car wash just after 3 p.m. by someone who said there was a man shooting a gun in his backyard.

Abbott said there was some sort of fight between the arriving deputy and the man shooting the gun. The deputy fired his weapon and struck the man.

The deputy attempted to perform life-saving measures, but the man died. 

Q13 spoke to the man's mom, Fay Showatler, on the scene. She said her son is the father of two small girls. Ger son had been struggling recently with alcohol, but she said he was working to get better.

The Valley Investigation Team will lead the investigation into the shooting. Abbott said officials are interviewing several witnesses.

Investigators are still working to determine what led to the deputy firing his gun.