911 calls: I-5 road rage suspect slammed WA construction worker's head into wall before being shot
EVERETT, Wash. - Dispatch 911 calls are providing more details about Thursday's road rage fight that ended in a deadly officer-involved shooting in Everett.
A man was accused of attacking construction workers on I-5 near Union Slough, with a trooper shooting and killing him after finding the fight still underway after he arrived.
Investigators say the fight broke out after the man allegedly drove around a cement barrier and rammed his car into a work truck with contractors on board. From there, things began to escalate quickly.
"911-There is a subject, road rage that is hitting other vehicles on I-5 northbound," said dispatch during one of the first calls regarding the incident.
The 911 calls started rolling in after 4 p.m. on Thursday. That's when the man was caught on traffic cameras, accused of ramming the work truck with two contractors for WSDOT as they were operating a heavy lift over the bridge.
"It’s going to be northbound I-5 at Union Slough," said someone over the dispatch call.
Dispatch then got reports that the man had gotten out of the truck and was slamming one of the workers into a wall.
"Can you look at call…of a report of a subject hitting a construction worker’s head into a concrete wall," said a person on dispatch.
SMART spokesperson Courtney O'Keefe said that at the time, the suspect was also accused of swinging a hammer and throwing things.
"State Patrol is responding to a subject that was ramming his head into the bridge. He was attacking the bridge," said a person over the dispatch call.
After a Washington State Patrol trooper arrived, the man started fighting with him before the trooper opened fire.
"Shots fired, shots fired. I copy. State has shots fired. Where are you at?", said a person over the dispatch call after those shots rang out.
911 calls indicated that the man was struck multiple times.
"Shots fired to the chest," said a dispatcher. "Shots fired on I- 5 there are 3 North County units en route."
Traffic was backed up for hours as other law enforcement agencies and paramedics were called in.
Eddie Veeraet, an Everett resident that lives very close to the shooting scene, says the road rage needs to stop. He watched the altercation on I-5 on WSDOT traffic cameras.
"It looked like he was just really trying to move the truck or something, damage with the vehicle he had," said Veeraet.
While the man's motive for the altercation is still unclear, Eddie says in general, people need to take a deep breath before they go on the offensive.
"Pull over. Do what you got to do, but don’t make an incident out of it, and please do not have your own agenda held up so high that would cause you to be reckless," said Veeraet.
The SMART team is leading the investigation into the shooting. The man's name has not yet been released.
MORE FOX 13 SEATTLE NEWS:
Memorial Day Weekend Ferry travel outlook
Multiple people arrested after Pierce County RV pursuit
What are the zebra-striped bumps on Seattle roads?
Suspect in SUV damages multiple cars with BB gun in Shorewood
To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX 13 Seattle newsletter.
