Police Shooting Ruled Self-Defense Officers Killed Mentally Ill Man Who Lunged At Them With Glass

Police officers who shot and killed a mentally ill man earlier this year acted in self-defense, Spokane County Prosecutor Jim Sweetser said Thursday.

Three officers shot Blaine Dalrymple, 38, six times at his mother’s South Hill apartment on March 8 after Dalrymple lunged at them with a shard of glass.

Sgt. David McGovern and officers John Gately and Harlan Harden each fired at Dalrymple with .40-caliber semiautomatic handguns, police said.

“I think the department would simply say that this was a tragedy, but (it) was unavoidable given the circumstances,” police spokesman Dick Cottam said.

Sweetser agreed, finding the use of lethal force justifiable.

Jean Dalrymple called 911 early on March 8 and said her son was agitated and she wanted him to leave.

Officers spent half an hour negotiating with Dalrymple through the bathroom door, police said.

They heard crashing, banging and glass breaking inside the bathroom and tried unsuccessfully to force the door open. Then police sprayed pepper gas under the door.

Suddenly, Dalrymple opened the door wielding an 18-inch stick in one hand and what appeared to be a 15-inch knife in the other. The knife turned out to be a shard of glass.

Officers yelled “Drop the knife,” and then drew their weapons, except for the one who sprayed pepper spray.

Dalrymple then charged the officers, and three of them fired simultaneously.

, DataTimes