A man was crawling on the lawn outside a burning Tacoma house with a rifle in his hand as firefighters battled the flames. Neighbors called 911 with concerns about the man. Witnesses said he appeared to be drunk as he started walking down Pacific Avenue. Police arrived about 10:45 p.m. and ordered the man to put down his gun. He allegedly refused. They exchanged gunfire, and the man was killed.
Victim's Name: Michael Clarence Bender
Agency Responsible: Tacoma Police Department
Gender: Male
Age: 27
Race: White
Date of Death: January 7, 2018
County: Pierce
Cause of Death: Gunshot
Official Disposition: Pending investigation/No Known Charges
Criminal Charges: No known charges
Mental Illness: Drug or alcohol use
Armed: Allegedly Armed
Weapon: gun
Threat Level: attack
Fleeing: Not fleeing
Body Camera: No
Washington Post Database ID: 3290
Geography: Urban