An off-duty officer with the Edmonds Police Department was arrested Monday after allegedly pointing a gun at a driver during a road rage incident in Lynnwood, court documents show.
Monday around 1:16 p.m., Lynnwood officers responded to a report of a female driver waving a gun at a driver at 196th Street Southwest and 44th Avenue West.
When officers arrived, they located the suspect vehicle, a silver 2015 Subaru Forester. The officers activated their lights, stopped the car and arrested Melinda McClements Leen.
According to the Edmonds Police Department, Officer Leen is a three-year veteran of the force.
According to court documents, the victim was exiting Interstate 5 when the driver of the Subaru cut him off, nearly hitting the median and nearly pushing him off the road.
The victim told police: “I didn’t see a flashing light, I really didn’t look to the left.” The victim said the female driver looked at him and he raised both hands in confusion.
The victim then said Leen raised her hands in the same manner. She then “reaches under her seat or her side door, grabs a gun and holds it to the window.”
According to court documents, Leen then pointed the gun at him.
“I couldn’t do anything because I was stuck, there were cars in front and behind me, I just sat there. I literally put my hands up and thought, this is it, this is it,” he told police.
Officers arrested Leen on a charge of assault with a deadly weapon and booked her into the Snohomish County Jail.
Statement from Edmonds Police Chief Michelle Bennett:
On December 2, I was notified of the arrest of one of our officers, a three-year veteran of the department. We take this matter very seriously and are cooperating fully with the investigation, which is being conducted by the Lynnwood Police Department. Our internal affairs investigation has already begun and the officer has been placed on administrative leave. We will not be releasing any information regarding the allegations as these details are in the possession of the Lynnwood Police Department as part of their investigation.
Statement from Lynnwood Police:
On December 2, around 3:00 PM, our officers responded to a call in the area of 196th and 44th Ave. When they arrived, they learned that a man and a woman were involved in a road rage incident in which the woman pulled out and displayed a firearm. . Officers arrested her on a charge of Assault 2 and learned she was an off-duty officer with the Edmonds Police Department. She was booked into the Snohomish County Jail. For additional information, please submit a PDR with case number 2024-40789. This is an active and ongoing investigation.
