Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

SEATTLE — A Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Task Force conducted law enforcement operations in the 3000 block of I Street N.E. in Auburn today.

At approximately 3 p.m., agents recognized and approached an individual identified as the subject of a federal firearms investigation. When agents approached and identified themselves, the subject attempted to flee. The subject fired a gun at officers, striking Washington Department of Corrections’ Community Response Unit (CRU) Officer Kristoffer Rongen.

The subject was also injured when law enforcement returned fire. Both Rongen and the subject were taken to a local medical treatment center. Neither Rongen nor the subject are believed to have life-threatening injuries.

Rongen, 46, has been with the Washington Department of Corrections for 14 years. He is one of 30 CRU specialists in the department. CRU officers are responsible for locating violent offenders before they can cause harm. The unit is part of the larger Community Corrections Division, which has more than 650 officers statewide supervising roughly 17,000 offenders. CRU officers frequently work with law enforcement task forces in the community.

ATF often partners with state and local law enforcement agencies utilizing Task Force efforts like today to leverage intelligence and manpower to combat violent gun crime.

Federal criminal charges are anticipated. Subject and firearm information will not be released as it is an ongoing investigation.

# # #