By Dave Haviland
The Daily World, Aberdeen, Wash.
OLYMPIA — Washington Gov. Jay Inslee ordered the lowering of the State of Washington and United States flags to half-staff on Wednesday in observance of the death of Gabriel Forrest.
Inslee said in a news release on Monday, “I am deeply saddened by the death of Stafford Creek Correctional Officer Gabriel Forrest and direct that Washington State and United States flags at all state agency facilities be lowered to half-staff in his memory on Wednesday, July 7, 2021.”
The release said that Forrest died in the line of duty on Thursday, June 17, 2021.
The Washington State Department of Corrections announced that Forrest, 42, died from complications of COVID-19. He had worked at Stafford Creek Corrections Center in Aberdeen since 2002.
According to DOC data, as of July 7, 124 staff members at the prison south of Aberdeen have tested positive for the virus, with two deaths. As for inmates, 1,206 have tested positive with five deaths.
(c)2021 The Daily World, Aberdeen, Wash.