A Pullman man died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound following an incident Wednesday morning in which police and a SWAT team responded to the Golden Hills area in west Pullman.
Pullman police responded to a report of a suicidal man around 7 a.m. Wednesday. The man reportedly made suicidal statements and didn’t show up to work in the morning, according to a news release from the Pullman police.
The 51-year-old man had removed a firearm from his home and went into a marshy area near Wawawai Road and Golden Hills Drive, according to the news release. Officers began to search for the man in the immediate area.
Around 9:40 a.m., police heard the man fire a single shot from a handgun, according to the news release. The Whitman County Regional SWAT Team responded, and drones were deployed to get a better view of the man.
At 11:30 a.m. officers confirmed the man was deceased at the scene, as the result of a self-inflicted gunshot, according to the news release.
The Whitman County Coroner’s Office will release further information.
Before the man was discovered, Wawawai Road between Golden Hills Drive and Marcia Drive was closed to vehicles and foot traffic. Residents in the area were asked to shelter in place.
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UPDATE AT 11:50 A.M.:
The incident at Golden Hills has come to an end, the Pullman police announced.
"Further information will be released shortly," according to a post on the police's Facebook page. "Roads will be re-opened, and shelter in place advisory has been lifted. Thanks your continued patience as officers work to clear the scene."
The incident involved a Pullman resident, Sgt. Greg Umbright told the Moscow-Pullman Daily News.
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UPDATE AT 11:27 A.M.:
The Pullman police added that all people should avoid the area of Wawawai Road that is closed, including walking paths. All people in the area should shelter in place, according to the police.
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ORIGINAL STORY:
PULLMAN -- Wawawai Road in Pullman is closed between Golden Hills Drive and Marcia Drive this morning because of "an active event," according to the Pullman Police Department.
The Pullman police made the announcement at 10 a.m. today. No other details have been provided.
Those in the area of the road closure are being asked to shelter in place. The portion of road that is closed covers about half a mile.