K9 Arlo was injured in the pursuit. He has since returned home after surgery at Oregon State University.
Five Thurston County Sheriff's deputies and one Washington State Patrol trooper have been placed on paid administrative leave following the shooting of a man on Jan. 13 on Interstate 5 near Grand Mound.
All six officers fired their weapons at a 25-year-old man who was injured and remained in-custody in the hospital as of Thursday.
The Mason County Sheriff's Office, which is leading the inter-agency investigation of the shooting, has refused to release the name of the suspect, the names of the officers who shot him, or confirm whether anyone else was in the car during the shooting.
Investigators from Mason County have released only one statement about the shooting despite repeated inquiries from The Olympian. Questions about why officers initiated the pursuit have not been answered, although the statement claims the vehicle was being "recklessly driven" when the pursuit began.
The statement confirms that they have Washington State Patrol dash-cam footage of the shooting. A public records request submitted to the State Patrol by The Olympian last Friday seeking that dash-cam video was denied because the investigation into the incident is still open.
The Thurston County Sheriff's Office has provided regular updates on Arlo, a police dog that was injured by gunfire in the incident. Arlo, the police dog, underwent surgery and is now recovering at home. He was shot twice — though it's not clear by whom.
A GoFundMe organized by the Thurston County Deputy Sheriff's Foundation has raised over $73,000 for the dog.
Here's what we know about the man who was shot
Shortly after 8 p.m. Jan. 13, a Thurston County Sheriff's deputy attempted to stop a vehicle near the confluence of Cleveland Avenue and Yelm Highway in Tumwater, sparking a 15-minute car chase, according to an initial press release from the agency.
Troopers from the Washington State Patrol responded when the car entered Interstate 5, a separate release from that agency says.
The chase ended near milepost 88, where police shot the man.
Investigators refuse to provide information
The shooting is being investigated by the Region 3 Critical Incident Investigation Team, which is headed by the Mason County Sheriff's Office and includes the Lewis County and Grays Harbor County sheriff's offices.
Reached by phone last Friday, Mason County Sheriff's Chief Deputy Jason Dracobly said he could not provide any information about the shooting, citing Washington Administrative Code 139-12-30, the Law Enforcement Training and Community Safety Act, also known as I-940.
The code details criteria for independent investigations into police use of force, including mandating that the investigative team include two members of the public.
Dracobly specifically cited Section 2(b)(e), which states that the two community representatives "be provided a copy of all press releases and communication to the media prior to release."
Dracobly said he understands the clause to mean that he cannot release any information to the media until it's vetted and approved by the two community representatives.
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