Mike Carter
The Seattle Times
SEATTLE — Seattle police have released graphic dashcam footage of Sunday’s shooting by an officer of a domestic-violence suspect in the Central District.
The video shows the man advancing on a female officer, who repeatedly orders him to drop two knives he is carrying in the 1900 block of South Dearborn Street. The officer fires several shots and the man — whose features are redacted from the video — staggers and collapses on the sidewalk.
Two other officers arrive on the scene and approach the man, telling him to stay down, and then tend to him while awaiting paramedics.
The man was taken to Harborview Medical Center in critical condition.
Police also released audio of a 911 call made by the wounded man’s spouse, who told the dispatcher that his husband was suicidal, had been taking prescription drugs and was trying to drive away from the residence. The caller said he had taken the keys to their vehicle.
The first officer on the scene is seen taking some of this information from the caller, who then exclaims, “He’s right there.” The officer is then heard saying, “I got eyes on him,” and immediately tells the man to “Drop the knife!”
She repeats the command several times, stating at one point that the man has two knives.
As he appears from behind a white van in the dashcam video, the officer repeats her command and then fires six rounds.
A link placed by police on their online blotter also includes photographs of three kitchen knives — two the man was carrying and one he had reportedly thrown at his partner earlier.
Police said Sunday the victim called 911 and said his husband had been chasing him with a kitchen knife.
(Seattle Police Department Images)
The officer who opened fire has been placed on paid administrative leave, which is standard practice after an officer-involved shooting. Police did not release the officer’s name.
The department’s Force Investigations Team is investigating.
Copyright 2016 The Seattle Times