British Columbia

Washington state police officer killed in shootout

The suspect and another police officer were also injured in the incident and taken to hospital for treatment.

Sheriff's deputy pursued suspect into the city of Kittitas before exchanging gunfire

A Kittitas County sheriff's deputy was killed after a shootout with a suspect Tuesday night. (Gian-Paolo Mendoza/CBC)

A county deputy in central Washington state was killed in a shootout with a suspect Tuesday night.

In a statement, the Kittitas County sheriff's department said the incident started when they tried to stop a vehicle related to a driving complaint just before 7:37 p.m. PT.

The suspect did not stop driving and was pursued by officers into the city of Kittitas.

When the vehicle came to a stop, the suspect got out and started shooting at a sheriff's deputy and another police officer.

Officer's condition unknown

Both the deputy and the officer were shot and taken to separate hospitals. The deputy was pronounced dead and the officer's condition is unknown.

The suspect was also shot in the exchange and is being treated for injuries. The names of the officers have not been released.

The Ellensburg Police Department is investigating the incident.

Kittitas County is about 160 km southeast of Seattle.