HERMISTON, Wash. -- A Umatilla County Grand Jury has found a fatal police officer involved shooting last month in Hermiston to be justified.
Two officers confronted 55-year-old Greg Shafer at the Hermiston Liquor Store on New Year's Eve.
Witnesses said he had just robbed the Community Bank across the street, went directly to the liquor store and had a gun.
When the officers approached the liquor store, Shafer saw them and pulled out what witnesses believed to be a black, semi-automatic handgun from his waistband and pointed it at the officers.
Officers tried to use a less lethal weapon to disarm Shafer, but it didn't work. Officers then fired a total of five shots at Shafer, with three of them hitting him. Less than eight seconds passed from the time officers entered the liquor store to the time shots were fired.
It turns out Shafer was carrying a realistic looking BB-gun, but the Grand Jury found deadly force by police was justified.
