The confrontation followed multiple 911 calls reporting a man pointing a gun at people in the shopping center parking lot.
FEDERAL WAY, Wash. — Federal Way police fatally shot a man outside The Commons mall Thursday evening after officers responding to reports of an armed person said he pointed a weapon at them, authorities said.
The confrontation began around 6:40 p.m. Sept. 10 when several people called 911 to report a man with a gun in the parking lot of the shopping center near Pacific Highway South and South 320th Street. Police said callers reported seeing the man point the weapon at people. One caller also reported that the man appeared to be waiting for police to arrive.
Federal Way police described the man in their preliminary account as white and believed to be in his 20s or 30s. Officers arrived shortly after the emergency calls and attempted to contact him, according to police. The department said the man pointed a weapon toward officers, who then opened fire and struck him.
Officers and medical personnel provided emergency aid after the shooting, but the man died at the scene. His identity had not been publicly released in the initial reports reviewed for this story. No police officers or bystanders were reported injured during the encounter.
A witness who spoke with KIRO 7 said he and his brother-in-law had entered the mall parking lot to make a delivery when they noticed a man pointing what initially appeared to be a hand toward them. The witness said they soon realized the man was holding a gun and drove away as he called 911. His account provides one view of the events before police arrived, but investigators have not yet released a complete reconstruction of the incident.
Police said three officers involved in the shooting were placed on administrative leave. Such leave is standard following a police shooting and does not by itself indicate wrongdoing. Federal Way police have not publicly detailed which officers fired, how many shots were discharged or the precise sequence of events between the officers’ arrival and the gunfire.
The Valley Independent Investigation Team is handling the investigation into the use of deadly force. Federal Way police said their department will not take part in investigating its own officers and that future information about the shooting will come from the independent team.
Several questions remain unresolved, including the man’s identity, details about the weapon and whether he fired any shots. Authorities also had not publicly disclosed a possible motive or explained why callers believed he was waiting for police. Police cautioned that their initial account was preliminary and could change as investigators interview witnesses and review evidence.
The shooting occurred in a busy commercial area and prompted authorities to ask people to avoid the mall while investigators processed the scene. Police said there was no continuing threat to the public after the shooting. The independent investigation remained underway, with additional findings expected to be released by the Valley Independent Investigation Team.
Author note: Last updated September 13, 2026.