Suspect Who Fatally Shot Kittitas Deputy Was Here Illegally
Authorities now say the 29-year-old man who fatally shot a Kittitas County Deputy Sheriff and injured a Kittitas Police Officer was here illegally.
ICE officials confirmed Thursday Manuel Flores Del-Toro of Ellensburg had entered the U.S. through a port of entry in Laredo on what's called a Temporary Agricultural Worker visa, or an H-2A, in 2014. However, officials say it expired, and there is no record of him renewing or ever having left the country.
Most H-2A temporary permits are anywhere from 2 to ten months, rarely longer.
42-year-old Ryan Thompson and 22-year-old Benito Chavez (the Kittitas officer) were chasing Del-Toro after responding to a driving complaint. Del-Toro pulled over for the attempted traffic stop, and immediately exited the vehicle and began firing at the officers. Thompson was killed, and Chavez suffered leg injury. He is in Seattle hospital recovering.
Unless the person holding the temporary Visa permit has a valid hunting license, they are not permitted to obtain or possess firearms or ammunition. Certain other exemptions for foreign government officials also apply.
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