Brier Police Department, Washington
End of Watch: Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Age: 28
Tour of Duty: 6 years
Badge Number: 578
Cause of Death: Heart attack
Date of Incident: September 12, 2006
Weapon Used: Person
Suspect Info: Not available
Officer Eddie Thomas died while struggling with a male subject at a home on Vine Road.
Officer Thomas had responded to the location to assist paramedics with a combative patient who was suffering a diabetic episode due to low blood sugar. When Officer Thomas arrived at the scene, the patient began to struggle with him. Officer Thomas depressed the emergency button on his radio and was then able to handcuff the man. When backup officers arrived, they found Officer Thomas unconscious next to the subject.
Officer Thomas was a U.S. Coast Guard Reserve veteran who served with the Brier Police Department for nine months and in law enforcement for a total of six years with the Sauk-Suiattle Police Department, Evergreen State College Police Department, and Quinault Police Department. He is survived by his mother, father, brother, two sisters, grandparents, nephew, girlfriend, and her two children.