POULSBO — A man was shot and killed by a Poulsbo police officer Wednesday night just as a crowd was gathering to watch the fireworks at the city's Third of July event at Waterfront Park.

According to a statement from the Poulsbo Police Department, the officers responded to a report of a man threatening people in the middle of a large crowd.

"Several officers contacted the subject, and shortly thereafter, a struggle ensued," according to the statement. "During the struggle one officer fired his handgun, striking the subject."

The statement continued: "The subject was handcuffed and officers on scene rendered aid while they were waiting for paramedics to arrive. Poulsbo Fire Department arrived and rendered aid, however, the suspect succumbed to his injuries."

The shooting was first reported to 911 dispatchers at 9:22 p.m.

An assignment editor for Seattle television station Q13, Ryan Hodges, told the station that he was in the crowd with friends and was approached by a man who "seemed out of sorts."

Hodges reported the man had a screwdriver in his pocket and lunged at him. He and his friends then went and contacted police, the station reported.

Hodges said as the man was pacing, officers approached him and demanded to know what was in his pocket.

Hodges said the man pulled out a screwdriver. Police tried to tackle him but he ran. Hodges started to leave when he heard gunshots.

The Kitsap Critical Incident Response Team, a task force made of Kitsap County law enforcement officers from multiple agencies, was activated to investigate the incident, said Deputy Scott Wilson, a spokesman for the Kitsap County Sheriff's Office.

Shawn Kenaston was waiting to watch the fireworks with friends at the Poulsbo waterfront when he saw officers run by him. Kenaston said he followed the officers, who were “running and leaping over things,” and then reported hearing two gunshots.

“I was really close and I heard ‘pop pop,’ and I saw the man fall and then they tackled him,” Kenaston said.

Kenaston said prior to the shooting, he didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary among people in the crowd.

“I was just there to see the fireworks show,” he said.

Kensaston added: “They were doing gunshots literally in a crowd like that, and his body almost landed on a baby’s blanket.”

Fireworks commenced very close to the 10:15 p.m. start time, said Meagan Wright, who was on an attending tug boat in Liberty Bay when the show started.

More information will be posted as it becomes available.

Kitsap Sun reporter Christian Vosler contributed to this report.