Driver shot by Washington state troopers after high-speed chase, officials say

By Alta Spells and Kaylene Chassie, CNN

Washington state police on Thursday shot a driver after a high-speed chase that began when the suspect allegedly fled from a traffic stop, authorities said.

A trooper saw a car matching the “description of a vehicle that fled from a recent traffic stop” by the Kelso Police Department that was speeding on Interstate 5, Washington State Patrol said in a news release.

State troopers attempted to pull the car over, but the driver appeared to “actively flee” at speeds exceeding 100 mph while making “many unsafe movements,” according to the release.

Police fired gunshots when the car eventually stopped in Clark County, Washington, striking the driver, authorities said. The driver initially barricaded himself inside the car but eventually complied with officers’ orders and came out.

The driver was arrested and taken to a hospital. The news release did not describe the driver’s medical condition.

The Southwest Washington Independent Investigative Response Team is investigating the shooting.

CNN’s Aya Elamroussi contributed to this report.