SEPT 2026. Blues Vol 42 No.9

Chris said, “I moved

Chris said, “I moved to a position where I could watch the man to determine if he was the one who had shot at me. I could not tell at first and I did not want to shoot the wrong guy, who was not involved. So I watched him and saw him turn toward me. That was when I saw the rail of the rifle. It looked like he was changing a magazine.” Once establishing the suspect had a weapon, exhibited intent and appeared to be activating his delivery system, Officer Munn said, “Because of the distance,” which was 183 yards, “I aimed just below center mass and fired once.” THE ARMED SUSPECT CRUMPLED TO THE GROUND After the suspect went down, he was given commands, but he kept moving and reaching for his backpack. It was later discovered that he had apparently, after being hit by Officer Munn’s round, retrieved a pistol from his backpack and shot himself. An arrest team was formed, approached and secured the suspect, then called for EMS, which had already been summoned to the scene and was on standby. The suspect’s threat was permanently stopped. AFTERMATH Officer Munn said his department was great after the incident. The peer support group and union representatives were at the department immediately. He was given two days to collect his thoughts and prepare his statement. His wife was summoned and was very supportive throughout, as she has been during his entire career. Chris said, “I couldn’t do this without her.” The suspect’s guns and backpack are pictured in this evidence photo. Photo/Chris Munn Since the event, the shooting was ruled justified and Chris has been promoted to sergeant. He continues to enjoy working for the Tacoma Police Department. HOW TO REMAIN CALM I had to point out to Officer Munn that many who have viewed the footage of his officer-involved shooting have commented on how extraordinarily calm Chris was throughout the gunfight. I asked him if he had anything he could share to prepare others for the dangers they have yet to face. Chris shared these valuable insights: 1. Preparation is imperative. 2. Risk assessment training is also important. 3. Stress inoculation training is critical for staying calm in a crisis. You will perform better if you have been pre-trained to control your emotions. 4. Train yourself to a high level. Since there will be a degradation of skills when they are transferred to street application, you want a high-quality reservoir of skills to draw from. 5. Effective communication is key in calls like this, where officers were clear and concise. The communication of the officers on scene put me in the best spot to effectively intervene. 6. Practice forecasting as you approach scenes. Mentally prepare yourself for what you physically are going to have to do. This mental practice is tremendously helpful. 7. Pre-practice your high-risk team arrest tactics. They will come into play during calls like this. CONCLUSION In talking with Sergeant Munn, it was clear that the Tacoma Police Department had prepared him well to perform with a high degree of professionalism during this critical incident through an ongoing training program that almost guaranteed quality performance under stress. 42 The BLUES SEPTEMBER ‘26

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