Police shot, kill West Richland man in Benton City standoff

BENTON CITY, Wash. – Authorities say a Pasco police officer shot and killed a man who refused to release a hostage during a standoff at a Benton City home.

Benton County Sheriff Jerry Hatcher says the 50-year-old suspect was from West Richland.

The Tri-City Herald reports the man’s name was not released.

Hatcher says officers were responding to a call of a suicidal man at the home on Thursday. It turned into a hostage situation after the man refused to let a woman out of the home.

Officers spent several hours talking with the man, who was holding the woman at gunpoint.

Members of the Tri-City Regional SWAT team eventually stormed inside.

Pasco police Sgt. Scott Warren says the officer that was involved in the shooting was also a member of the SWAT team.