Police Seeking Witnesses to KCSO Officer-Involved Shooting in Auburn

The Port of Seattle Police Department is seeking witnesses to Saturday’s officer-involved shooting in Auburn. Josh Sarrett, 32, was fatally shot by a King County Sheriff’s Deputy (KCSO) in the 500 block of 8th St SE. Investigators would like to speak to the drivers of two vehicles driving on the same block at the approximate time of the shooting.

According to KCSO PIO Sgt. Ryan Abbott, the Deputy was flagged down at a nearby car wash for a male shooting a gun in a nearby backyard.  The deputy drove around the block and stopped in front of the house, making contact with Sarrett’s sister, Amanda Haynes.

Haynes told the Seattle Times she informed the deputy,  “Josh is drunk and he has a gun in his pocket and we were there because we were told he was beating his girlfriend.”

A short time later Sarrett came out of the house. The deputy relayed to dispatch “apparently he might have a pistol in his right front pocket.”

The deputy and Sarrett had a verbal confrontation.  According to her interview with the Seattle Times, Haynes states Sarrett’s hands were raised when he stepped into the front yard. The deputy instructed him not to touch his pocket. It is not clear why, but Sarrett lowered his hands and the deputy shot him in the torso.

Sarrett died at the scene. Haynes confirmed to the Seattle Times deputies did not find a gun on her brother.

The Valley Independent Investigation Team, currently lead by the Port of Seattle Police, is seeking additional witnesses in their investigation. “The attached photos depict two vehicles, a black sedan and a white SUV, that were driving eastbound on 8th Street SE in between D and F Streets at the approximate time of the shooting. Both vehicles turned around at the scene and departed the area westbound after the shooting.”

The release issued by the Port of Seattle Police requests the drivers of these two vehicles, “and any other witnesses who were in the area at the time of this event and were not already interviewed, to contact Detective Young at the telephone number 206-787-4391 at their earliest convenience.”