Man attacks immigrant detention center, dies after police shooting

A man was shot and killed by police after throwing incendiary devices at an immigrant detention center in Washington state.

Tacoma police officers went around 4 a.m. Saturday to the Tacoma Northwest Detention Center, which holds migrants awaiting deportation proceedings, according to The Associated Press. 

The man’s actions resulted in a vehicle catching fire and the man tried to ignite a propane tank and set buildings ablaze, police told the AP. He was reportedly armed with a rifle and had flares. {mosads}

Police spokeswoman Loretta Cool told the wire service that four officers fired their weapons but that she did not know whether the man fired at officers.

Officers later found the man and determined he had been shot and killed, according to the AP. 

No law enforcement officers were injured and the four officers who fired their weapons were placed on paid leave, according to the wire service. 

Cool told the AP that the shooting came hours after a peace rally in front of the facility, which is owned by Geo Group. 

A Geo Group spokesperson told The Hill in a statement Saturday that no one at the facility was injured in the incident. 

“The outrageous and baseless accusations that have been leveled against our facilities have led to misplaced aggression and a dangerous environment for our employees, whose safety is our top priority,” the spokesperson added.

“Violence of any kind against our employees and property will not be tolerated,” the statement continued. “We are thankful for the quick and brave action by the Tacoma Police Department, which prevented innocent lives from being endangered.”

The Hill has reached out to the Tacoma Police Department for comment.