Justin L. Moegling dies in fatal Poulsbo police shooting

Justin L. Moegling dies in fatal Poulsbo police shooting

Fatal Poulsbo police shooting death of Justin L. Moegling – Obituary

Justin L. Moegling, a 41-year-old resident of Bremerton, was fatally shot by law enforcement officers during a traffic stop in Poulsbo on the night of May 7, according to the Kitsap County Medical Examiner’s Office. The cause of death was determined to be gunshot wounds to the head, along with multiple other gunshot injuries throughout his body.

The shooting took place near the intersection of Nordic Cove Lane and Viking Way around 9 p.m., following an encounter involving both the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office and the Poulsbo Police Department. Officials stated that Moegling failed to comply with orders to pull over and later threatened and attempted to stab officers as they tried to detain him. No information has yet been provided about what initially prompted the pursuit.

The Washington State Office of Independent Investigations is now handling the case. This agency has recently taken over such investigations from the Kitsap Critical Incident Response Team, as confirmed by KCSO spokesperson Kevin McCarty. Authorities plan to release body camera footage from the involved officers on social media.

In response to the incident, the Kitsap Equity, Race and Community Engagement Coalition (Kitsap ERACE) announced its intention to speak at the Poulsbo City Council meeting scheduled for Wednesday evening. The group has called for transparency and accountability, criticizing what it describes as a pattern of excessive force by local police.

The community’s concerns echo those raised after the 2019 fatal police shooting of Stonechild Chiefstick during a public fireworks event in Poulsbo, further fueling calls for changes in policing practices within the city.