File photo of police lights. (Credit: Comstock/Thinkstock)
COTTAGE LAKE, Wash. (CBS Seattle) – A Kings County Sheriff’s deputy has been put on administrative leave after being accused of shooting at a developmentally disabled man who was holding a toy gun.
The Seattle Times reports police got multiple calls about a man waving a gun at passing vehicles.
“The first deputy arrived minutes later and the man ignored her commands. When the man pulled the handgun from his waistband and raised it, the deputy fired about 25 yards away,” Deputy Charlie Akers told the paper. “The man dropped to the ground and other deputies moved in to handcuff him.”
That’s when authorities discovered that the gun was a Lego toy.
“While on the ground, he made a movement to grab the gun and they just jumped on him. At that point, they slid the gun away from him and discovered it was made out of Legos,” Akers told The Seattle Times.
The man, who police have had encounters with before, is a resident at a nearby group home and “has a fascination with guns.”
An employee of the home told police they have a strict policy for its employees “not to go hands-on with potentially dangerous residents.”
According to the paper, the man was taken into custody and involuntarily committed for a mental-health evaluation.
“Because of his mental capacity, my guess is he will not be charged with anything.” Akers told the paper. “Obviously it could have been a lot worse but fortunately he wasn’t hurt.”
King County authorities tell CBS Seattle that the incident is still under investigation.
