Daniel Covarrubius Sr, 37

Lakewood, Washington
April 21, 2015

Agencies: Lakewood Police Department Washington | Use of Deadly Force in Community Policing, Joint Legislative Task Force Washington

Cause of death: Shooting


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Last updated: almost 6 years ago

Overview

Daniel Covarrubias, 37, a member of the Suquamish tribe, was murdered by Lakewood police in Washington state on Tuesday, April 21. He was unarmed. Police say Daniel had been seen "running", and that after he climbed a tall stack of lumber in a lumber yard, he was "reaching into his pockets." Those who knew him say he was in mental distress and in need of urgent help. Instead, police fired up at him multiple times and killed him. No police have been arrested.

When one reporter asked what type of phone Covarrubias was holding, Zaro said he had no clue. When a reporter asked the chief to pull out his own cell phone to demonstrate how Covarrubias was using it to mimic a gun, the chief said he had no cell phone.

But he also stated that witnesses recorded the incident with their cell phones, apparently managing to do it without mimicking a gun. That video is not being released because it is being used as evidence in the “investigation.”

The incident took place last month after Covarrubias ran through a lumber yard, prompting workers to call police because they figured he was running from them considering they heard sirens in the distance.

 

But police say those sirens were for somebody else, but responded nonetheless.

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