Independent investigators are reviewing the shooting after police said the man pointed a weapon at officers responding to reports of an armed person.
FEDERAL WAY, Wash. — Federal Way police fatally shot a man outside The Commons mall Thursday evening after officers said he pointed a weapon at them as they responded to several reports of an armed man threatening people in the shopping center’s parking lot.
The confrontation began around 6:40 p.m. Sept. 10, when multiple 911 callers reported seeing a man with a gun who was pointing it at people outside the mall, according to information released by the Federal Way Police Department. One caller told dispatchers the man appeared to be waiting for police to arrive. Officers reached the shopping center a short time later and attempted to contact him.
Police said the man pointed a weapon at responding officers during the encounter. Officers then fired, striking him. Police and medical personnel provided emergency aid after the shooting, but the man died from his injuries. Authorities had not publicly identified him as of Friday, and investigators had not released his age or additional details about the weapon.
No officers or bystanders were reported injured. Police initially advised people to avoid the area while investigators examined the scene and said there was no continuing danger to the public. The shooting brought a large law enforcement presence to The Commons, a shopping center near Pacific Highway South and South 320th Street.
Authorities had not disclosed how many officers fired, how many shots were discharged or how much time passed between the officers’ arrival and the shooting. Police also had not released body-camera footage, 911 recordings or other evidence that could provide a fuller account of the confrontation. The initial account came from the Federal Way Police Department and was described as preliminary.
The officers involved in the shooting were placed on administrative leave under department policy. Administrative leave is a common step after a police shooting and does not determine whether an officer acted lawfully or violated department rules.
The Valley Independent Investigation Team is leading the investigation into the use of deadly force. King County officials describe the regional group as one of two independent investigation teams that handle law enforcement use-of-force cases in the county. The team is made up largely of agencies from south King County, and members of the police department involved in a shooting cannot participate in the independent investigation of their own officers.
Washington law requires an independent investigation when an officer’s use of deadly force results in death, substantial bodily harm or great bodily harm. State rules say the investigation is intended to provide an independent factual record for determining whether the use of force met Washington’s legal standards and other applicable laws and policies. The existence of an independent investigation does not itself mean officers committed wrongdoing.
The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has a Public Integrity Team that works with independent investigators in police use-of-force cases resulting in death or substantial injury. According to the prosecutor’s office, attorneys can assist investigators with matters such as legal process and witness interviews. After a qualifying investigation is completed and submitted for review, prosecutors determine whether the available evidence supports criminal charges or whether the use of force appears legally justified.
Federal Way police said their department would not investigate the actions of its own officers in Thursday’s shooting and that future investigative updates would come from the Valley Independent Investigation Team. As of Friday, the man’s identity, the names of the officers involved and additional details about the moments immediately before police opened fire had not been publicly released.
Author note: Last updated September 11, 2026.