Tumwater officers cleared in Jack in the Box shooting

Two Tumwater Police Officers who shot a man who held a knife to a hostage’s throat have been cleared to return to duty.

The incident took place Aug. 18 at the Jack in the Box on Trosper Road. Officers responded to a call about a man with a knife and found the suspect threatening an employee and refusing to drop the knife.

Lieutenant Steve Barclift and Detective Chris Tressler shot the suspect, Dean Patrick DeMulling, who survived his injuries. DeMulling now faces charges of first-degree kidnapping, second-degree assault and second-degree robbery.

The Thurston County Critical Incident Team investigated the shooting. The team consisted of investigators from the Olympia Police Department, the Lacey Police Department, and the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office. In addition, the case was reviewed by the Thurston County Prosecutor’s Office, which determined that the officers’ actions were in line with the law, according to a news release.

The Tumwater Police Department’s Use of Force Review Board also conducted an independent review and determined that the officers involved adhered to the policies of the Tumwater Police Department.

Barclift and Tressler were on administrative leave during the investigation, which is standard protocol. They returned to work this week.

This story was originally published October 23, 2015 at 8:50 AM with the headline "Tumwater officers cleared in Jack in the Box shooting."