A 69-year-old man armed with a rifle threw incendiary devices at an immigration jail in Washington state, then was found dead after four police officers arrived and opened fire, authorities say.
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The Tacoma Police Department said the officers responded about 4am Saturday to the privately-run Homeland Security detention facility that holds migrants pending deportation proceedings.
The detention centre has also held immigration-seeking parents separated from their children under President Donald Trump's policy to deter illegal immigration.
The shooting took place about six hours after a peaceful rally in front of the detention centre, police spokesman Loretta Cool said.
On Saturday night, the Pierce County Medical Examiner's Office identified the man as Willem Van Spronsen of Vashon Island, the Tacoma News-Tribune and the Seattle Times reported.
Police said Van Spronsen caused a vehicle to catch fire and that he attempted to ignite a large propane tank and set buildings on fire.
Police said that besides the rifle, he had a satchel and flares.
Police said officers called out to Van Spronsen, and shots were fired.
Cool said all four officers fired their weapons, but she didn't have specific details of what took place.
She said the officers weren't wearing body cameras, but the area is covered by surveillance cameras from the detention centre. She said she didn't know if the man fired at the officers.
After the gunfire, officers took cover, contained the area and set up medical aid a short distance away, police said.
Officers then located Van Spronsen and determined he had been shot and was dead at the scene.
Authorities say investigators are processing the scene and police are continuing to investigate.
No law enforcement officers were injured.
The four Tacoma police officers who fired their weapons have been placed on paid administrative leave as is standard in officer-involved shootings.
A motive for Van Spronsen's actions hasn't been determined, Cool said.
Van Spronsen was accused of assaulting a police officer during a protest outside the detention centre in 2018, The News-Tribune reported.
According to court documents, he lunged at the officer and wrapped his arms around the officer's neck and shoulders, as the officer was trying to detain a 17-year-old protester, the newspaper reported.
According to court documents, police found that he had a collapsible baton and a folding knife in his pocket.
Van Spronsen pleaded guilty to the charge of obstructing police and was given a deferred sentence, the News-Tribune reported.
Australian Associated Press
