The chase began after a vehicle was reported traveling 90 mph in a 35 mph zone on Yelm Highway Southeast.
OLYMPIA, WA — Thurston County deputies shot and killed a 44-year-old Lacey man Tuesday after a speeding stop turned into a pursuit, crash and foot chase into a backyard in the Olympia area, authorities said.
The man was identified by Thurston County Coroner Gary Warnock as Todd Bass, a Lacey resident. His cause of death had not been finalized pending an autopsy scheduled for Friday. The shooting is now under review by outside investigators, including the Region 3 Critical Investigation Team and the Washington Office of Independent Investigations.
The incident began about 2:37 p.m. Tuesday on Yelm Highway Southeast, where a Thurston County deputy tried to stop a vehicle that Sheriff Derek Sanders said was traveling about 90 mph in a 35 mph zone. The driver did not stop, and the deputy followed as the pursuit moved through the Olympia area. The chase ended near Morse Merryman Road Southeast, where the suspect vehicle crashed. Authorities said a deputy also crashed during the pursuit. Bass then ran from the crash scene into a nearby backyard, where deputies reported hearing gunfire. Sanders said multiple shots were fired and at least one deputy fired a weapon.
First responders tried to save Bass at the scene, but he was pronounced dead. No deputies were reported injured. Officials have not said whether Bass was armed, whether a gun was recovered in the backyard or who fired the shot or shots that killed him. The Sheriff’s Office also has not released the names of the deputies involved. A passenger in the vehicle ran after the crash and was later taken into custody with help from a police dog, authorities said. It was not immediately clear whether that passenger would face charges.
The shooting drew a large law enforcement response around Hoffman Road and nearby streets Tuesday afternoon. The Thurston County Sheriff’s Office first described the scene as an active shooting involving law enforcement and said Hoffman Road was closed at Hoffman Court, with drivers unable to pass through to Morse Merryman Road. McKenna Elementary School was briefly placed on lockdown during the response. The lockdown was later lifted. Authorities did not report injuries to students, staff or nearby residents.
The investigation now shifts to independent review, a required step after a police use of deadly force in Washington. The Region 3 Critical Investigation Team and the Office of Independent Investigations are expected to handle the criminal investigation into the deputies’ actions. Those reviews typically include evidence collection, witness interviews, scene mapping, review of radio traffic and any available video. The Sheriff’s Office remains the involved agency and is not expected to lead the outside review of the shooting. The coroner’s autopsy is expected to determine Bass’ cause and manner of death.
Several key facts remained unanswered Thursday, including what led Bass to run, whether investigators found a firearm near the backyard and how many deputies fired. Sanders said at least one deputy fired after deputies heard shots during the foot chase. The Sheriff’s Office has not said whether the deputy who crashed was injured or whether the crash involved any other vehicles. Officials also have not released more details about the passenger who was arrested after the chase, including that person’s name or booking status.
The area where the pursuit ended includes residential streets, schools and busy routes connecting southeast Olympia with other parts of Thurston County. The reported speed on Yelm Highway Southeast was more than double the posted limit, according to the Sheriff’s Office account. The crash near Morse Merryman Road Southeast moved the incident from a vehicle pursuit into a neighborhood response, with deputies, medical crews and investigators working in and around private property after the gunfire.
As of Thursday, authorities had identified Bass but had not released a full timeline of the shooting, the number of deputies involved or the evidence recovered at the scene. The next public milestone is the autopsy scheduled for Friday, which could provide the first official finding on how Bass died.
Author note: Last updated April 30, 2026.