ORTING — The Pierce County sheriff’s office is investigating how a threatening man was shot and killed by an off-duty Fife police officer outside the officer’s home in Orting.
Sheriff’s spokesman Ed Troyer told The News Tribune that the 21-year-old man apparently lived in the same neighborhood as the 35-year-old officer.
The Pierce County medical examiner identified the dead man as Ben Ellett.
Fife police identified the officer as Jake Stringfellow.
Troyer says the younger man appears to have had mental health issues in the past. He made repeated calls to 911 dispatchers Tuesday evening about shooting people and drove to the home where a patrol car was in the driveway.
Deputies recovered a rifle that apparently belonged to the younger man. Troyer says several rifle casings were found at the scene but it was unclear where Ellett fired.
