Kitsap County shooting by police officer ruled justified

Kitsap County Prosecutor Russ Hauge ruled Wednesday that a Bainbridge Island police officer was justified in shooting a mentally ill man who threatened officers with an ax in October.

Officer Jeff Benkert fired his duty gun three times Oct. 26 as 43-year-old Douglas Ostling held an ax over Officer David Portrey in a narrow stairwell hallway on Springridge Road Northeast, Hauge wrote in his report.

Hauge noted that Ostling had a long history of mental illness, and that Portrey tried to fire a Taser to subdue him. But that failed, and then Portrey tripped and fell flat on his back. With Ostling standing over Portrey, holding an ax over his head and screaming, Benkert fired.

Hauge ruled that he “was justified in his use of deadly force.”

Ostling called 911 just before 8:40 p.m. Oct. 26 and screamed “a series of questions that make no sense,” Hauge wrote, such as “What are you?” and “What is that?” The dispatcher tried to calm Ostling, but he hung up after about two minutes.

Officers were sent to the home to check on Ostling.