I’m sorry, but this just makes me angry. A year ago, a black criminal was killed by Seattle police. In the wake of the death of George Floyd, his name was shouted by protesters as an example of our out of control police force targeting unarmed black men. Today, a year later, we learn the truth about this incident. 

You won’t find it on the front page because it doesn’t support the narrative, but the Seattle Times found space for an article about the investigation into this incident on page A8 of the March 26 print edition, “Watchdog: Shooting of man by police lawful.” Please, read it. Note that the local NAACP criticized the use of deadly force and demanded an investigation.Yet, by now, I’m so cynical that I fully expect them to demand another investigation by some “more objective” agency since this investigation was done by the Seattle Police Office of Police Accountability. How many investigations will it take to get one that comes to their only acceptable conclusion, “cop guilty of murder?”

Already, a spokesperson for our Community Police Commission plans to scrutinize this report looking “areas of systemic improvement,” because, well, just because. Before we waste more taxpayer money on another investigation, it might be worth considering some of the facts revealed by this OPA investigation. 

Was this criminal unarmed? Technically, at the moment of his death, yes.  A 911 caller noted that the suspect was armed and had shot at his girlfriend in a public park (after dragging her and the child to a motel where he beat the woman with an iron, strangled her, shot at her, then drove to the park where he took off with the child). When police began pursuing him, he was armed and ignored all commands to stop, but he dropped the gun at some point as he was being pursued. The officer did not know this until after the incident.

Although this suspect had a record that precluded legal possession of a firearm and had repeatedly defied a no-contact order, the executive director of the CPC told the Seattle Times, “Police responses too often result in violence, particularly when it involves people of color. We cannot continue to rely on police policy that has repeatedly allowed officers to shoot unarmed people.” 

Seriously? This comment was given to the press after reading the report. Seattle, please allow officers to shoot at criminals who beat, strangle, and shoot at women, then steal and abscond with children. The report makes clear that this highly trained officer assessed the potential danger to the child (held at waist level) before firing at the criminal’s head and killing him. 

I am so angry that the Seattle City Council feels it is necessary to pander to Black Lives Matter, DeCriminalize Seattle, King County Equity Now, the Community Police Commission, and every single ridiculous protester chanting ACAB (all cops are bastards). I am so angry that the council persists in reducing police funding. This was just a domestic dispute, wasn’t it. Send the social worker?

Get a grip, council! Let police protect people enjoying a public park! Let police prevent a man from stealing a kid after beating and shooting at the mom! 

As for you, CPC and the rest of you, stop this farce of pretending that this violence stems from police. Read this article and drop this man’s name from your list of innocent victims. Do whatever you want to help prevent domestic violence, but stop crying for this criminal. Damn you and your Defund Police crap. You’re ridiculous.