X-RAIDED wrote:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004093946
_copshooting27m.html

Jerry Larson was trying to get some sleep Monday night when his
27-year- old son, Aaron, sat on the edge of the bed, asking for
advice.

Jerry Larson said he shooed his son away, telling him to go enjoy the
family's Christmas Eve turkey dinner. He promised they would talk
after he had a few hours of sleep, but by the time Larson awoke his
son was gone.

The next day, Aaron Larson was shot to death by a State Patrol trooper
during a bizarre incident on Interstate 5 in Federal Way.

Several people called 911 around 2:30 p.m. Tuesday to report that a
man had jumped out of a moving car near the onramp at South 320th
Street. Witnesses said he dropped his pants around his ankles and was
exposing himself, said Stacy Flores, spokeswoman for the Federal Way
Police Department, which is investigating the shooting.

By the time troopers arrived, the man had his pants back on but he had
his belt in his hand and was using it to strike passing cars, Flores
said. He also tried to pry open some car doors.

The man tried to choke Trooper Mike Cheek and struck him repeatedly
with his hands and fists, Flores said. Cheek used a Taser on Larson
but it was ineffective, she added.

Cheek then shot the man. While the King County Medical Examiner's
Office hasn't released the man's name, his father identified him as
Aaron Larson.

Cheek was not hurt and has been placed on administrative leave, the
State Patrol said. Cheek has been with the State Patrol for 11 years
and has not been involved in another fatal shooting while with the
department.

Authorities are investigating whether Larson was under the influence
of drugs. The King County Medical Examiner's Office said Wednesday it
is awaiting toxicology tests.

"His behavior was unusual, not normal," Flores said.

At least one 911 call was made the car in which Larson was in, with
the caller indicating the man had a handgun, police said. Larson's
girlfriend, her son and Larson's younger brother were all riding in
the car when he hopped out, according to Jerry Larson.

Detectives are investigating whether Larson was armed. It's unknown
whether he drew a weapon at any point during Tuesday's incident,
Flores said. Jerry Larson said Wednesday he doesn't believe his son
was using drugs because he was working for a Chehalis-based trucking
company that conducts random drug tests on its drivers.

Stephanie Axelson, secretarial payroll director at M&M Transport, said
Larson tested negative for drugs when he was hired three months ago.
She said he hadn't been tested since.

Jerry Larson, 50, of Ethel, Lewis County, said his son had recently
been depressed because things weren't going well with his girlfriend
and that he didn't like living in Olympia. Aaron Larson grew up near
Snoqualmie and graduated from Mount Si High School, his father said.
He moved to Honolulu after high school, but recently returned to the
region, settling in Olympia with his girlfriend and the woman's young
son.

Axelson said Larson often talked about his family life and bragged
about being "a dad."

"He was really a nice guy. He wasn't a loud personality at all,"
Axelson said. "This has totally got the people who knew him the best
completely dumbfounded. This was not the Aaron we knew."

Jerry Larson said his son had been known to be confrontational and
would never back down from a fight. While he said he hasn't talked to
anyone with the State Patrol, he thinks troopers could have calmed
his son down instead of shooting him.

"Any man that gets out there on the freeway with a belt buckle in his
hand, what's he going to do, dent a few cars?" he said. "I just think
they gunned him down."

thanks