Deputies from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office were involved in a shooting incident near Brinnon Friday afternoon.

Details were sparse on the shooting, and law enforcement agencies would not say if the person shot was killed.

The shooting happened at 2:44 p.m. Sept. 23 near U.S. Highway 101 and Dosewallips Road, according to the Washington State Patrol.

The incident will be investigated by an Independent Investigation Team, and the State Patrol said it will be the primary investigating agency and will lead the team.

The request for the State Patrol to lead the investigation was made by the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, the State Patrol said in a news release.

The State Patrol has requested the assistance of the Region III Independent Investigation Team agencies, including the Grays Harbor County Sheriff’s Office and the Mason County Sheriff’s Office.

The State Patrol said late Friday the investigation is in its early stages and no further details are available.

Dosewallips Road was closed at US 101 for “law enforcement activity” shortly after
3:30 p.m. Friday.

Officials with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office would not comment on the incident last week, noting it was the subject of an outside investigation.

The shooting was the first involving a county law enforcement officer in nearly 100 years.

The last shooting happened in the early 1920s, when Sheriff Phillip Chase shot and killed Frank Grants in a gun battle at the Big Quilcene Bridge.

A history of the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office notes that Grants was shot after he had robbed a bank in Sequim with two others.

Jefferson County Commissioner Heidi Eisenhour acknowledged the stress facing the sheriff’s office following the shooting.

“We don’t know the full story and won’t know the full story — and neither will they — until the Washington State Patrol [investigation] is completed,” Eisenhour said.

“I had the uncanny coincidence of doing a bunch of virtual reality training with our officers last week and felt firsthand the adrenaline and stress they go through, and making decisions and responding quickly in stressful situations,” Eisenhour said, adding she was supportive of people in the department.

“And when I heard this was going on, I immediately was reflecting on my experience. I was shaking my head a lot on Friday evening,” she said.

“Glad we have body cams,” added Commissioner Greg Brotherton.

“It’s going to make for a more clear picture of the situation,” he said.

Commissioner Kate Dean also noted the rarity of officer-involved shootings in the county.

“It’s amazing how long it’s been. Decades and decades; 100 years since the last officer-involved shooting,” Dean said.