Officers won’t be charged in fatal Viking Way shooting in 2025

Published 1:30 am Thursday, March 26, 2026

Following reviews by the Washington State Office of Independent Investigations and Kitsap County Prosecutor Chad Enright, the law enforcement officers who shot and killed 41-year-old Justin Moegling during a traffic stop on Viking Way last May will not face criminal charges.

The officer-involved shooting included Poulsbo police officer Nickolas Brown and Kitsap County sheriff’s deputy Wyatt Galbreath. The findings of the investigation state that the use of deadly force was permissible and was not a criminal act. Body camera footage, written reports by officers and collected statements were reviewed by OII to determine if deadly force was permissible by legal standards.

This marks the first time the state has conducted an inquiry in Kitsap County since OII was formed in 2021.

Per Enright’s report, the shooting occurred after law enforcement officers attempted to pull over Moegling’s vehicle for a traffic infraction on Viking Way in Poulsbo May 7, 2025. Law enforcement engaged in a low-speed pursuit of Moegling utilizing spike strips on two occasions, followed by a PIT maneuver to stop his vehicle. Once Moegling’s vehicle stopped, the officers attempted to detain him. Moegling exited his vehicle while armed with a large kitchen knife. Officers unsuccessfully used pepper balls and tased Moegling twice in order to detain him. After the second Taser deployment, Moegling raised the knife over his head and moved toward officers. In that moment, both Brown and Galbreath fired their weapons and Moegling was struck multiple times. Moegling was transported to St. Michael Medical Center, where he was later pronounced dead, the report says.

The report states that Brown fired his patrol rifle nine times and Galbreath fired his pistol at least once. The Kitsap County Medical Examiner performed an autopsy and determined the cause of death to be a gunshot wound to the head.

“Based on the totality of the circumstances, it was objectively reasonable to believe that Moegling had the present ability, opportunity, and intent to immediately cause death or serious bodily injury to the officers,” Enright’s report says.

Friends and family of Moegling, who were interviewed in OII’s investigation, said he had struggles with mental health and “often turned to self-medicating. However, he had just recently reached out to family and friends to help him re-engage with mental health services,” per the report.

“Regardless of the legal issues at hand, the death of Justin Moegling is tragic. Although officers are trained extensively on how and when to use deadly force, they never want to use that force,” Enright concludes in his report. “The most striking evidence in the case is seen in the body-worn cameras of the law enforcement officers at the scene. In particular, the tone of voice of the law enforcement officers who attempted to detain Moegling showed a sense of authority but also displayed a level of compassion toward Moegling. The evidence shows that the law enforcement officers who were at the scene saw deadly force as a last option.”

Enright’s full report can be read here.