Wharton was running from an officer after he approached him outside Fiddler's Coffee shop. He turned and showed a knife halfway through the chase and was shot when he attempted to scale a fence.
Victim's Name: Joseph R. Wharton
Agency Responsible: Centralia Police Department
Gender: Male
Age: 48
Race: White
Date of Death: February 13, 2014
County: Lewis
Cause of Death: Gunshot
Official Disposition: Justified
Criminal Charges: No known charges
Mental Illness: No
Armed: Allegedly Armed
Weapon: knife
Geography: Rural