Peninsula Daily News and news sources
PORT TOWNSEND — A man who was shot and killed by a Seattle police officer after he allegedly rammed another officer’s patrol car on Interstate 5 was a 2006 graduate of Port Townsend High School.
Samuel Smith, 27, was shot several times in the Ravenna neighborhood early Friday morning. Police said he was brandishing a knife at the officer.
On Friday, the King County Medical Examiner listed Smith’s cause of death as gunshot wounds and ruled it a homicide.
Those who knew Smith were surprised by the report.
“He was a gentle guy,” said Dominic Svornich, owner of the Cellar Door.
“This was uncharacteristic action.”
Nina Jurczynski, who attended high school with Smith, said she had seen him a few weeks ago and he seemed in good spirits. She said he had entered a relationship and was working as a sushi chef at a Seattle restaurant.
Seattle Police said in a statement an officer reported his car had been struck from behind by a vehicle on the freeway about 4 a.m. Friday, The Associated Press said.
The force of the collision sent the patrol car into the interstate median.
The officer wasn’t seriously injured and the person who struck his car fled, according to reports.
Officers determined the car was a gray Mazda based on the leftover debris, KOMO-TV said.
At about 4:35 a.m., Seattle police said they found a grey Mazda described as the car that hit the patrol car in the 6500 block of Ravenna Avenue, KOMO-TV said.
As the officer approached the car, Smith ran at the officer while holding a large knife, The Seattle Times said.
Despite an order to “drop the knife,” Smith continued toward the officer and the officer opened fire from close range, police said.
Police released dash-cam video from the shooting as well as the hit-and run.
To see on the KOMO-TV news site, see http://tinyurl.com/PDN-KOMOseattleshooting.
The officer involved in the shooting will be placed on paid administrative leave during the investigation, per standard policy, Seattle police said.
The crash blocked several lanes on Interstate 5 for about two hours.
On Friday afternoon, three Jefferson County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to Port Townsend to notify Smith’s mother, who lives in town, they said.
Once the notification was made, Smith’s identity was released.
King County Department of Public Health spokesman James Apa said the medical examiner does not release toxicology results after an autopsy.
It usually takes several weeks for such reports to be completed, he said.
