Following a police shooting in Seattle on December 2nd, the King County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) has undertaken an independent investigation to scrutinize the Seattle Police Department's (SPD) conduct. The KCSO's involvement is necessitated by the Revised Code of Washington (RCW) 10.114.001, which mandates independent scrutiny of all officer-involved shootings, now that the SPD has exited the Federal Consent Decree earlier in September.
Around 1:30 p.m. near 42nd Ave. S and S. Othello St., SPD officers responded to multiple 911 calls about a man brandishing a weapon. Officers initially tried to resolve the situation peacefully. The KCSO will investigate the events that led to officers deploying lethal force after the suspect allegedly pointed a gun at them. SPD provided medical aid to the man, who died at the scene.
The in-depth investigation will determine if the officers met the "good faith standard" for the use of deadly force as outlined in RCW 9A.16.040. Once the investigation is concluded, the KCSO will forward their findings to the King County Prosecuting Attorney for further review. This information was affirmed in a statement from the SPD Blotter.
The KCSO will provide weekly public updates during the investigation and will address media questions. Information from the independent investigation team will be shared after notifying the community representative and family liaison. Inquiries can be sent to [email protected].
Chapter 139-12 of the Washington Administrative Code requires that certain parties be notified before the investigation team releases details. These steps ensure information is shared responsibly with both the community and those directly affected by the officer-involved shooting.
