The team of outside detectives investigating the fatal shooting that occurred last month in Centralia concluded its investigation last week.
It will be up to the prosecutor, however, to determine whether Officer Ruben Ramirez was justified in using deadly force when he fatally shot Paul M. Edmundson on June 29.
Ramirez responded to the Chevron gas station on the corner of South Tower Avenue and East Cherry Street to a reported theft of a burrito. When Ramirez arrived, he saw the shoplifting subject, Edmundson, and recognized him as a suspect in a felony assault that occurred two days prior. Edmundson had allegedly stabbed someone in the eye.
When Ramirez attempted to contact the 43-year-old man, he began to fight the officer. In an attempt to detain the man, Ramirez let his police dog Lobo out of the patrol car, and the dog bit Edmundson, according to the Centralia Police Department. When Edmundson pulled a gun out of his pocket, Lobo bit his arm, and Ramirez drew his weapon and shot Edmundson in the chest.
Lewis County Prosecutor Jonathan Meyer said he anticipates releasing his conclusions at the end of the week after he meets with Centralia Police Chief Bob Berg.
Meyer and Berg were both briefed by investigators from the multi-jurisdictional team last Thursday about the team’s findings. The case was then referred to the prosecutor’s office for a formal review of the incident.
“I thank the regional team for their work in this investigation and look forward to the review by the Lewis County Prosecutor,” Berg stated in a press release. “Based on the information presented by the team at the briefing, I remain confident that the actions of Officer Ruben Ramirez will be found as a justified response to the threat that officer faced on that Sunday morning.”
Once the criminal part of the investigation has concluded, an internal use of force review board will also review in the incident, in accordance to department policy, Berg wrote in the release. The review board will consist of three command-level officers from Centralia as well as other agencies.
This is the second officer-involved shooting in Centralia this year. A Centralia officer shot and killed a 48-year-old man armed with a knife early in the morning of Feb. 13 in the 1200 block of West Mellen Street. That shooting was ruled as justified months later.
Audio: Police Audio from Morning of June 29
Audio: Shell Employee's 911 Call, June 29 (Warning: Language / Profanity)
