EVERETT, WA— Everett Police Officer Dan Rocha, 41, died Friday after a man fired several shots and later drove over him while fleeing officers, said Courtney O’Keefe, spokesperson with the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office.
Rocha approached a 50-year-old man for suspicious activity in a Starbucks parking lot around 2 p.m.
An altercation between Rocha and the man ensued, O’Keefe said, but it’s not entirely clear what led to the altercation.
The suspect fired several shots, striking Rocha, then fled, O’Keefe said. An assistance call was sent out, and officers located the suspect shortly, leading to a pursuit.
The pursuit ended in a multiple-car collision.
As the suspect fled in a dark blue Mini Cooper, he drove over Rocha, O’Keefe said.
It’s still unknown whether Rocha was alive when the suspect drove over him, she said.
The suspect was taken to the hospital for minor injuries, O’Keefe said.
Rocha had lived in Everett for more than a decade and served with the Everett Police Department since 2017, the department said in a statement. He first worked in parking enforcement and in 2018 became a fully commissioned police officer.
“It’s absolutely tragic,” O’Keefe said. “It’s devastating. And our thoughts and prayers are with his family and the Everett Police Department.”
The investigation surrounding Rocha’s death is being conducted by the Snohomish County Multiple Agency Response Team.
The suspect will be booked into Snohomish County Jail.
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