An Athena man was shot dead Monday morning after he allegedly eluded police and threatened an officer with a gun.

Tere David King had evaded law enforcement officers since Saturday when the Milton-Freewater police department attempted to contact him about reported misconduct. The 55-year-old led officers on a high speed chase, but escaped until Athena police Sgt. Erik Palmer spotted King at 7:20 a.m. Monday about four miles south of Athena on Pambrun Road.

Umatilla County District Attorney Dan Primus said Palmer attempted to wait for backup, but King drove his truck directly at the officer, who shot out Kings tires. King got out of his vehicle brandishing a firearm and was fatally shot by Palmer, according to Primus.

Law enforcement officers from several agencies gathered at the field along Pambrun Road shortly before 8 a.m. on Monday morning. Kings body lay on the dirt covered with a yellow tarp. A black Ford F-150 pickup near the body sat with doors open on a dirt access road, facing an SUV with Athena Police Department insignia.

The Oregon State Police forensic unit was on scene, along with officers from Umatilla County Sheriffs Department, Umatilla Tribal, Pendleton and Athena police departments.

The probable cause affidavit for Kings arrest included crimes of unlawful use of a weapon and possession of a firearm, possession of firearms by a felon, pointing a firearm at another, recklessly endangering another person, reckless driving, criminal trespass in the second degree and fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer. Primus said law enforcement had considered the suspect armed and dangerous and continued to search for the suspect throughout the weekend. Multiple agencies pursued King, including Athena and College Place police departments, the Umatilla County Sheriffs Office, the Walla Walla County Sheriffs Office and the Oregon State Police.

King has earlier run-ins with the law on his record. In 1999 he was convicted of attempted murder, kidnapping and possession of a firearm. The judge sentenced him to 90 months in prison.

Palmer has been placed on paid administrative leave pending an investigation of whether he acted properly. This is the third time the officer has shot a suspect. In 2008, as an officer with the Pendleton Police Department, he fatally shot an armed La Grande man in the doorway of a downtown Pendleton shop. The man, Deveron Schreiner, had allegedly stolen a vehicle and was suicidal.

In 2011, Palmer encountered another reportedly suicidal man, Mark McMillan, who pointed a handgun at the officer from inside his pickup. After Palmer shot him, McMillan survived.

Grand juries cleared Palmer in both shootings, determining his actions were justified.

Contact Kathy Aney at kaney@eastoregonian.com or call 541-966-0810.