Mirror staff reports:

King County Executive Dow Constantine has ordered an inquest into a fatal shooting involving a Federal Way police officer.

On Jan. 13, Federal Way officer Stacy Eckert shot and killed Kent resident Maksim Mayba, 21, while investigating an apparent drug deal in the Starbucks parking lot on Southwest Dash Point Road.

According to Federal Way police, Mayba was warned by Eckert to comply with orders to stop reaching under his seat, or else he would be shot. That’s when Federal Way police say Eckert fired twice at Mayba after he appeared to reach under the seat again.

The driver of the vehicle, Gregory Barrager, 21, fled the scene. The vehicle and Mayba’s body were found abandoned on 31st Place SW near the Quail Run condominiums. Auburn police eventually arrested Barrager and reported finding black tar heroin, prescription pills and paraphernalia in the black Infiniti sedan involved in the case.

Barrager, a Graham resident, was charged with drug possession and attempting to elude police. According to reports, Barrager told police he was not in the car at the time of the shooting.

King County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg recommended the inquest after his office reviewed materials from the Auburn Police Department, which conducted the investigation. Eckert, a nine-year veteran with the Federal Way department, was placed on paid administrative leave for the investigation.

Inquests are fact-finding hearings conducted before a six-member jury. Inquests are routinely called to determine the causes and circumstances of any death involving a member of any law enforcement agency within King County while in the line of duty. The county notes that the ordering of an inquest is for fact-finding and transparency purposes, and carries no other implication.