Veteran police officer killed by police vehicle in Washington

An eight-year veteran police officer was killed Sunday after he was hit by a police patrol vehicle during an operation of chasing a fleeing suspect in the U.S. west state of Washington, police authorities said.

The police officer from Kent city in King County, Washington, whose name was not released before his next-of-kin were informed, was trying to deploy spike strips at an intersection early Sunday to stop a fleeing driver, when he was struck by the police car pursuing the suspect.

The Kent Police Department said on Facebook that officers were pursuing a red pickup truck seen leaving a parking lot where gunshots were reported near a restaurant at Russell Road S and W. Meeker in Kent city early Sunday.

The police officer who was chasing the suspect was critically injured after he crashed into three cars at a nearby intersection. One suspect was arrested and two others escaped and remained at large when their vehicle also crashed.

"It is with great heartbreak that the Kent Police Department announces that we have lost one of our officers in the line of duty early this morning. The Patrol Officer was assisting with the capture of subjects who were attempting to elude the police when he was struck by a vehicle. Life-saving efforts were not successful," the Kent Police Department said in a statement.

A local news outlet quoted Washington State Patrol Captain Ron Mead as blaming the police officer's death on the suspects.

"Make no question about this, were it not for the actions of this suspect or suspects, this officer would be alive today. It's directly because of the suspect or suspects' actions that led to the officer's death," he said.