63-year-old* Gatewood resident Lovett James Chambers (right) is now charged with first-degree murder in the Saturday night shooting that killed 35-year-old 
Michael Travis Hood (left; known by his middle name). Charging documents were just provided by prosecutors; Chambers’ bail is now set at $5 million. Hood was shot by Morgan Junction Park; a friend then drove him to Providence Mount St. Vincent, thinking it was a hospital, and that’s where police and medics found him, taking him to Harborview Medical Center, where he died hours later.
At first glance the charging documents shed little light on the case beyond what has been reported already, except to say Chambers told investigators the victim and his friend were making “racial slurs,” and that Hood was shot three times, twice in the back. The documents detail Chambers’ past, as support for the increased bail:
… the defendant appears to have a substantial history of crimes of violence, which may increase his potential sentencing range. It is believed that the defendant’s criminal history began in the eariy 1960s and includes a conviction for Robbery in 1961; a crime identified as GL (possibly Grand Larceny) in 1962; Robbery (two counts) and Kidnapping in 1966; Escape with Force in 1966; Resisting Public Officers in 1972; Extortion in 1982; and Robbery of a Savings and Loan in 1982. It is anticipated that the State will amend the Information in this case to Íiie Unlawful Possession of a Firearm charges against the defendant prior to trial.
In addition, it appears that the defendant has prior arrests for Kidnapping for Ransom and/or Rape by Force in 1965; Armed Robbery and Felon in Possession in 1973; Robbery in 1974; Extortion in 1976; and Bank Robbery in 1980. The ultimate disposition of the latter group of cases is not yet known.
In court for Chambers’ first bail hearing on Monday, the suspect’s wife said he had had nothing more than a traffic ticket in the 20 years they had been together; county records show they have owned a home in Gatewood for 18 years, and he has run a home-based computer-tech business. Details of the charging documents, ahead:
We do not usually include the names of witnesses, but because Jamie had spoken with WSB and we had published his first name, we will include it here. The following is a cut-and-paste from the charging documents (with a few formatting quirks since it’s a PDF), with only witness names and the suspect’s wife’s first name and address omitted:
… January 21st, 2012, at about hours, victim Michael Hood was in the Feedback Lounge located at 6451 California Avenue SW – with his friend, Jonathan “Jamie” …
(Jamie) said it was the time he and Hood had been in that bar and they did not know anyone.
At some point during the evening, (Jamie) noticed a black male standing near the entrance to the restrooms – this male was later identifìed as Lovett Chambers. (Jamie) said he did not know why he noticed Chambers and said he and Chambers never made eye contact. (Jamie) and Hood were seated at a table near the restrooms; Hood had his back toward Chambers. (Jamie) was pretty sure Hood never saw Chambers while inside the bar. (Jamie) and Hood did not make conversation with anyone in the bar that evening.
At about 2135 hours, (Jamie) and Hood decided to leave the bar. They paid their bill and exited through the front door. (Jamie) said he noticed the same black male – Lovett Chambers – standing just outside the front door as they exited the bar. Chambers _Was just a few feet to the south of the entrance. (Jamie) said no Words were exchanged with Chambers. (Jamie) and Hood turned northbound and began walking toward (Jamie)’S vehicle (a red Ford Ranger) parked about a block to the north on California Avenue – against the West curb (just in front of Morgan Junction Park).
As (Jamie) and Hood passed the entrance to SW Beveridge Piace (a small street to the west)
_ (Jamie) realized Hood had turned and was Walking westbound on Beveridge Place away from (Jamie)’s truck. (Jamie) said he continued northbound on California Avenue and back to Hood, “Where you going? The truck is over here.” Hood said something like, “ok” and started walking toward where (Jamie) had parked his truck. (Jamie) continued and arrived at his truck first. (Jamie) entered his vehicle on the driver’s side.
(Jamie) said he reached across and unìocked the passenger side door for Hood. (Jamie) said Hood was out of sight for just a few seconds (a large vehicle was parked directly in front of his vehicle and blocked his View of Hood as hewas approaching on the sidewaìk). (Jamie) said Hood came into View and he noticed Hood was exchanging words with the same black male (Lovett Chambers) he had seen earìier. (Jamie) couid not hear what was being said between the two but he did not suspect it was anything angry. (Jamie) said Hood made it to the truck and opened the passenger door. (Jamie) said Chambers walked directly toward Hood and got within 2 feet of him. (Jamie) said Hood spun toward the bed of the truck and grabbed a shovel ((Jamie) said he kept the shovel in the bed of his truck because of the recent snow storm). (Jamie) said Hood took up a “batter’s” stance with the shovel (holding it like a baseball bat) and stated to Chambers, “What do you Want to do now?” (Jamie) said Chambers immediately backed away from Hood (approximately 6 or 7 feet) and with his left hand pulled a black or blue handgun – -“.40 or .45 caliber” – from the right side of his upper body. Hood yelled, “Oh my God, he’s got a gun” and tried to get into the truck. (Jamie) said he saw the gun pointed at Hood and realized he was also in the line of fire. (Jamie) said he jumped out of the driver”s side of his truck and “hit the deck” as Chambers 3 rounds ((Jamie) said he believed it was three but it could have been four shots).
(Jamie) Said it was quiet after the shooting (he said his ears were ringing from the loud gun
shots). (Jamie) looked up and saw Chambers sliding his weapon back into his jacket as he
walked away southbound on the sidewalk. –(Jamie) saw ’that Hood had been shot and was bleeding. (Jamie) pulled Hood into the truck and tried to close the door. (Jamie) saw that Hood had brought the shovel into the cab of the truck and blocked the door from closing. (He) pushed the shovel out of the door, and sped off northbound. (Jamie) said he left the area because he feared Chambers was going to come back and shoot him.
(Jamie) drove Hood to a Providence nursing home facility located at 483i 35th Avenue SW ((Jamie) believed it was a hospital).
(Jamie’s truck; WSB photo taken at PMSV, Saturday night)
The Providence nursing staff called 911. Seattle Fire Medics responded to the nursing center and began treating Hood’s injuries. Hood was transported by the medics to Harborview Medical Center, where he later died of his gunshot wounds.Seattle Patrol Offìcers responded to the scene of the shooting as a result of multiple calls.
Officer Brian Koshak arrived in front of the Beveridge Place Pub » 6413 California Avenue SW, just north of the Feedback lounge. Ofñeer Koshak was flagged down by witnesses (A and B). They (said) they saw a black male wearing blue jeans, black beanie and what looked like a shiny black leather jacket confront a White male at a pickup truck. They saw the black male pull out a handgun and shoot the white male 3-4 times.Witnesses (A and B) said they did not hear an argument or see any fighting prior to the shooting. (A and B) said the suspect calmly put his gun away and walked to his vehicle – a biue BMW M3. (A and B) said the suspect sat in his vehicle and Watched them as they stood outside the pub. (A and B) said they Watched the suspect text something on his phone. The witnesses said the victim was pulled into the pickup truck by the driver and driven from the scene northbound, they watched the suspect pull away in his vehicle and head in the same direction as the pickup truck. Witness (A) provided the license number of the suspect vehicle as O47 – that plate number did not come back to a BMW.
Officer Koshak located three .45 caliber shell casings on the sidewalk and blood on the curb just north of the Beveridge Place Pub. Additional offîcers arrived and secured the Scene.
Officer Koshak contacted (witness C) – employee of the Feedback Lounge. (witness C) told Officer Koshak there had been a black male in the bar that evening who Went by the name “Cid” and he matched the`description of the shooter. (they) provided a credit card receipt for Cid’s purchase that evening and advised that he drove a blue BMW. Officer Koshak noted the name on the credit receipt was “Lovett Chambers.” (witness C) told the ofñeer that Chambers was a regular customer and usuaìly a nice guy although tonight, for some reason, Chambers was very agitated. Members of the Feedback staff advised that Chambers lived in West Seattle.
(Officer) conducted a computer records check on Lovett Chambers and found a West Seattle address…
Detective Ed Chan conducted a computer Search of the suspect Vehicle license number and located a similar license number of O47 _XMK that was associated with Chambers’ address. That plate number came back to a blue BMW M3 œgistered to Cidrìck Mann and (wife), with an address of …
(Officer) and members of the Southwest Anti-Crime Team responded to (the home) and contacted Lovett Chambers (AKA: Cidrick Mann) as he answered the door. Chambers told the officers his name was “Cid Chambers.” Chambers was taken into custody and the house cleared for any additional suspects. Chambers’ wife … was in the house and detained. While clearing the house for additional suspects, (officer) located a Wilson Combat .45 caliber, semiauto, handgun on top of the kitchen table (the gun was loaded and cocked). Next to the gun was a spare magazine loaded with .45 caliber rounds and BMW car keys. Mrs. Chambers told the officers that the .45 caliber handgun belonged to her husband. No additional suspects were found in the residence. Officers secured the house and sought a search warrant.
Offìcers McDougal and Renner impounded Chambers’ blue BMW M3 that was parked at his residence. The vehicîe was transported to the CSI vehicle processing room to be searched at a later date. Seattìe Police CSI unit responded to the Chambers’ residence with a Search Warrant and recovered the .45 caliber semi-auto handgun, magazine and ammo. An additional firearm ~ 9mm semi~auto handgun – was recovered from a fanny pack that Ms. Chambers described as her purse (it did contain her ID and credit cards).
Lovett Chambers was transported to the Seattle Police Homicide office, where he was subsequently provided with his Miranda Warnings. Chambers agreed to be interviewed (it was video and audio recorded). Detective Steiger and Detective Kasner conducted the interview. Chambers initially stated he could not remember much of the evening, but later in the interview remembered two men had followed him to his vehicle, a blue BMW. Chambers said he was parked in front of the Beveridge Place Pub. Chambers said the two men were making racial slurs as they followed him to his car. Chambers said he got into his vehicle and the two men _attempted to get into his car on the passenger side. Chambers said he retrieved his from under the front passenger seat of his vehicle because he believed the two men were going to attack him. When asked how the shooting could have occurred where (Jamie)’s vehicle had been parked, approximateiy 50 – 75 feet to the north of where Chambers’ vehicle was parked,” Chambers said could not remember what happened after he retrieved his gun. Chambers also stated he did not see either man with a weapon of any kind.
Mrs. Chambers was interviewed by Detective Steiger and Detective Kasner. Mrs. Chambers said her husband arrived home and poured himself a glass of Wine. Mrs. Chambers said her husband seemed calm and even asked her about the movie she was watching. Mrs. Chambers said that not long after her husband arrived home, the police arrived and arrested him.
A routine check of Lovett Chambers’ criminal history revealed he is a convicted felon and not legally allowed to possess a firearm. Chambers was convicted of Robbery, Kidnapping, Escape and has a prior Felon in Possession conviction. The same record revealed Chambers has used numerous names – including “Cidrick Mann” – and multiple dates of birth.
Lovett Chambers was booked into the King County Jail for Investigation of Assau1t (victim Hood was alive at Harborvìew Medical Center at the time of Chambers’ booking),
On January 22nd, 2012 (Hood) died of his injuries. Preìiminary King County Medicaì Examiner autopsy findings disclosed that victim Michael Travis Hood had been shot three times; two of those in the back. The booking was amended to Investigation of Murder.
Chambers’ arraignment – when he will formally answer the charge – is set for the morning of February 8th at the King County Courthouse.
*Footnote from the start of the story: Official documents in the case have given two birthdates for Chambers, in 1944 and 1948. The charging documents only use the 1948 date, so unless authorities say otherwise at some point, we will use that one when mentioning the suspect’s age.
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