Felony charges have been dismissed against a man accused of causing the death of a Bothell police officer during a gunfight in July of 2020.
FILE - A memorial grew outside the Bothell Police Department for an officer who was killed in the line of duty on July 13, 2020. The man charged in connection to the shooting has had the charges dismissed and will be committed to a state hospital as of October 2023. . Instead, the man will be sent to a Washington state psychiatric hospital.
According to the documents, the court found that because of "mental disease and defect," Washington lacked the capacity to understand the nature of the proceedings against him and/or be able to assist with his own defense.Washington was deemed incompetent under RCW 10.77.010, and was referred for civil commitment at a state hospital.
"Henry Washington underwent three periods of restoration—two 90-day periods and a 180-day period. Three forensic evaluators separately evaluated Mr. Washington and opined he was not competent to stand trial. Ultimately, the State elected to dismiss the criminal case without prejudice and seek a civil commitment.
Shoop, 32, died on July 13 after a nighttime traffic stop went awry and turned into a gun battle between Shoop, his partner, and Washington. At the time of the fatal shooting, Washington's mother told KOMO News her son, "was not in his right mind" and suspected he was "off his meds." She apologized and offered her sympathies.