Seattle police shoot, kill man seen with ax in Sodo

A man was fatally shot by Seattle police late Thursday afternoon after he had been seen with an ax in Sodo and later was found to have a gun, according to the King County sheriff's office.

King County Sheriff's Office Deputy Mike Mellis said in a news release that at about 4:15 p.m. a 911 caller reported that a man holding an ax had been seen near Fifth Avenue South and South Holgate Street.

Seattle officers who responded to the area tried to talk with the man, and used less lethal tools," according to Mellis' news release, which did not offer specifics.

Mellis said the man pulled out a firearm "at some point and officers fired at him, according to the release. The man died at the scene.

The city's 911 log shows crews were dispatched at 4:45 p.m.

Few additional details were immediately available. A Seattle Police Department public information officer at the scene Thursday evening declined to comment.

The sheriff's office will lead the investigation, assisted by detectives from the Washington State Patrol. The sheriff's office and Washington State Patrol will provide weekly updates, according to Mellis.

Thursday's shooting marks the first by Seattle officers since the federal consent decree was lifted last month. Under the decree, the Seattle department posted officers' body-worn camera footage shortly after shooting someone. Now, SPD is subject to the independent investigation teams that exist under state law.

Around 7 p.m., remaining officers still had the street blocked off while putting evidence into a van.

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