Pierce County prosecutors have ruled that a Tacoma officer was justified in fatally shooting a Gig Harbor man who pulled out a gun after being stopped for DUI.
On June 15, Officer Hannah Heilman was on her way home from work just after 2 a.m. when she noticed Lawrence Papineau driving his pickup truck erratically on Highway 302 near 97th Ave. NW.
When she pulled Papineau over, she could smell alcohol in the truck and went back to her cruiser to begin to process the driver's information.
Police said moments later, she noticed Papineau lean over and pull out a handgun. He then got out of the car and turned toward the officer.
Hannah fired one shot, striking Papineau in the stomach. He was later pronounced dead at the hospital.
"In the course of the traffic stop, the deceased brandished a gun and Officer Heilman acted lawfully to protect herself and others,” Prosecutor Lindquist said.
Police later said the man was armed with armor-piercing bullets. Investigators also found additional ammunition magazines and a copy of the Koran in his truck.
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