The Pacific Police Department issued a public safety notice on Tuesday urging residents to stay clear of the intersection of 5th Street and Milwaukee Boulevard while officers and emergency responders handled what the agency described as “police activity.”

In a statement posted to the city’s verified Facebook page, the department asked the public to avoid the area so responders could work safely and confirmed that officers did not believe there was any ongoing threat to residents. The notice did not identify the nature of the incident that triggered the response. The statement is available via the department’s official post at City of Pacific – Government.

According to reporting by MyNorthwest, several police vehicles were seen clustered near a 7‑Eleven at the intersection during the response. KIRO Newsradio separately reported that the activity could involve a possible shooting, though that detail had not been confirmed by officials at the time it was published.

As of March 3, 2026, no additional information had been released by the Pacific Police Department regarding the circumstances leading to the emergency response.

Why this matters for Southwest Washington

While Pacific sits in King and Pierce counties, public safety alerts in smaller Washington cities often reverberate across the region. Many communities along the I‑5 corridor—including those in Cowlitz County—share mutual aid practices, mobility patterns, and emergency response protocols shaped by statewide trends. Incidents that prompt broad police perimeters or significant law‑enforcement presence in one jurisdiction can influence how neighboring areas evaluate their own communication and response systems.

Columbia Countercurrent will continue to monitor updates from official sources should additional details become available.

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