Man shot to death by Reardan police identified

A man shot to death by the Reardan police chief in what investigators say was an “exchange of gunfire” has been identified as John R. Merrick, 54. Merrick, of Reardan, was shot by Chief Gary Redmond after Redmond responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle in the Reardan Cemetery Monday about 11 a.m. Redmond is to meet with investigators this week, said Trooper Troy Briggs, spokesman for the Washington State Patrol. WSP is part of the multi-agency team investigating the shooting with the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office. Briggs said he does not know what Redmond told investigators in his tactical debriefing shortly after the shooting. Investigators have not said who fired shots first. Redmond is on paid administrative leave, said Bruce Johnson, administrative assistant for the City of Reardan. Reserve officers are patrolling the city, and the Sheriff’s Office is available to assist, Johnson said.