Matthew Tyler Charles Obituary, Death – Authorities have released the identity of the man who lost his life during a police-involved incident earlier this week in Port Angeles. The Clallam County Coroner’s Office confirmed on Friday that the individual was 39-year-old Matthew Tyler Charles. The announcement came through a statement issued by the Washington State Office of Independent Investigations (OII), which is overseeing the case.
The incident took place Monday afternoon and involved local law enforcement attempting to contact Charles, who was wanted on a federal warrant issued by the U.S. Marshals Service related to an assault case. According to officials, members of the Olympic Peninsula Narcotics Enforcement Team (ONPET) located Charles around 1 p.m. on 10th Street, between F and G streets, on the west side of Port Angeles.
When uniformed officers from the Port Angeles Police Department approached Charles, he attempted to move away from them, authorities said in a joint update from the police department and the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office. Officers then began efforts to safely detain him.
Port Angeles Deputy Police Chief Jason Viada explained that officers attempted multiple de-escalation measures before the situation intensified. According to Viada, officers worked to create rapport and gave repeated verbal instructions in hopes of resolving the encounter peacefully. He noted that at least two officers tried to get into position to use a Taser, even though they could see Charles was armed. In addition, another officer attempted to deploy a K-9 unit, and another tried to use a tool commonly classified as “less-lethal,” such as a 40mm launcher that fires sponge rounds designed to avoid serious injury.
Viada emphasized that officers spent significant time attempting these lower-risk strategies before events escalated. However, officials said Charles ran from the area on foot. During the pursuit, Charles fired at officers, and officers returned fire.
Charles was quickly taken to Olympic Medical Center in Port Angeles where medical staff worked to assist him. He was later pronounced deceased.
The state’s Office of Independent Investigations arrived at the scene around 4 p.m. Monday and formally took over the case. OII is responsible for conducting a thorough and impartial review of the incident. As is standard procedure in officer-involved cases, three Port Angeles Police Department officers have been placed on administrative leave while the investigation continues. Their names will be released by OII at a later stage in the investigation.
Once its work is complete, OII will prepare a detailed public report outlining the findings. The finalized case will then be forwarded to the Clallam County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office for a legal review to determine whether any charges or further actions are necessary.
State law directs the Office of Independent Investigations to aim to complete its investigations within 120 days. If more time is needed, the agency must notify the OII Advisory Board and explain the reason for the delay. OII generally releases an interim update at around the 60-day mark to keep the public informed about the investigation’s progress.
To ensure all relevant information is gathered, OII has established a public tip line. Anyone who may have witnessed the incident or who has information that could assist investigators is encouraged to call 564-999-3608.
The investigation remains active, and officials will provide additional updates as more verified details become available.
