Oregon State Police have identified the officer they say was involved in a fatal shooting over the weekend that left a teenager dead.
According to investigators, a police officer from Independence tried to stop a vehicle around 1:30 a.m. Saturday morning. The driver of the vehicle fled, leading to a police pursuit.
Officers used spike strips to stop the vehicle, “and a suspect fled on foot,” according to a statement from Oregon State Police on Monday.
As the fleeing person attempted to enter another vehicle, he fired a gun and injured an officer, according to the state police.
Polk County Sheriff’s Office deputy Mike Smith fired his weapon in return, killing Ivan Ocegueda, 18. A second person was injured in the shooting, but Oregon State Police declined to clarify who that person is.
Police took Jose Manuel Coral Zavala, 20, and a 17-year-old girl into custody.
Police declined to answer any questions from OPB clarifying what led to the original traffic stop, and did not give details on the other injuries sustained by police or the people in the vehicle.
Smith, who has worked with the sheriff’s office for eight years, has been placed on administrative leave as part of the investigation. Though Oregon State Police stated other officers fired their weapons in the exchange, Smith is the only officer whose name has been released publicly.