Officers who fatally shot Coos Bay man identified

COOS BAY, Ore. (AP) – Authorities have identified three police officers who fatally shot a Coos Bay man who pointed a rifle at an officer.

Coos County District Attorney Paul Frasier says the shooting happened Saturday after police had twice stopped pursuing suspect Eric Sweet for safety reasons.

They later found the car parked haphazardly outside Sweet’s home.

Frasier says Sweet emerged with a rifle and pointed it at an officer. Three officers opened fire, and Sweet died at the scene.

The World reports the officers involved were identified Monday as Coos Bay Police Officer Dan Henthorn, Officer Doug Laird of the Confederated Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Tribal Police Department and Oregon State Trooper Kurtis Matthews.

The officers are on paid administrative leave during the investigation.