James Blancocotto

Date: 1/13/2023          Location: Lake Stevens, WA             FACTORS (1,2,4,8,10,12,14,19)      

Name: James G. Blancocotto                       

Criminal History/Involved: Yes, Blancocotto prior arrests for numerous charges including Criminal Trespass, DUI, and Theft. / Yes, Blancocotto had just committed a carjacking and left the scene of an accident.        

Mental Illness: Yes, Blancocotto’s attorney requested a competency hearing for him on May 24, 2022, stating he had “impaired concentration and disorganized thinking;” “grossly impaired insight:” and was “volatile.”

Substance Abuse History/Involved: Yes, Blancocotto had previous arrests for DUI and Ignition Interlock Violations. / None stated.

Race/Sex/Age: White/Male/30

Officer(s) involved: Lake Stevens police officer and detective                                                      

What prompted the initial contact with police? Around 11:30 a.m. on January 13, 2023, Lake Stevens Police Department officers responded to a 911 call of a carjacking in the parking lot of the Frontier Village shopping center. James Blancocotto was reported to have thrown a woman to the ground, stole her car and then struck several parked cars as he drove off. Officers pursued Blancocotto after observing him fleeing in the stolen vehicle on a nearby state road.  

Actions taken by subject towards police: Blancocotto ditched the stolen vehicle and fled on foot from the pursuing officers. When an officer caught up to him in a residential backyard, Blancocotto refused to show his hands, acted like he was armed and again fled the scene.

Reactions by the police: The detective discharged her Taser at Blancocotto two times as he fled, but to no effect. When Blancocotto then ran to the detective’s official vehicle (which had an AR-15 style rifle mounted inside it) and got into the driver’s seat, the detective tried to remove him and gain control over the vehicle. Blancocotto appeared to change gears, causing the vehicle to move and putting the detective in danger of being fatally run over. Fearing for her life, the detective shot Blancocotto one time to his chest, killing him.

Outcome of investigation into the fatal police incident: The incident is under investigation.

What could the subject have done that day to still be alive today? Blancocotto could still be alive today if he: did not commit a carjacking; surrendered instead of fleeing from the police; complied and showed his hands instead of acting like he was armed; and did not try to steal the detective’s vehicle and possibly run her over.

Justified Use of Deadly Force? YES, the detective reasonably feared for her life while engaged in a physical struggle with a violent felon over control of her department vehicle and justifiably used deadly force to stop the deadly threat.