Seattle Police officer killed: First official statement

Seattle Police have just released their first official statement about the shooting death of an officer in the Central District late last night — a crime that affects the entire city, as the first such murder in the line of duty in Seattle in 15 years, and one that drew officers (including a contingent from West Seattle’s Southwest Precinct) to the scene, where searching and blockading was followed by a somber procession earlier this morning, escorting the slain officer’s body to the Medical Examiner‘s office. Here is the entirety of the statement just published on SPDBlotter:

On October 31st, shortly after 10:00 p.m., a Field Training Officer (FTO) and his female student officer were parked in their patrol car in the 100 Block of 29th Avenue South. The student officer was seated in the driver’s seat and the FTO was in the passenger seat. A vehicle that has been described as a light-colored sedan pulled up next to the parked patrol car and the suspect(s) fired multiple shots into the patrol car. The Field Training Officer was struck multiple times, killing him. The student officer received minor injuries. She was able to get out of the patrol car, return fire several times to the fleeing suspect vehicle, and call for additional units. Officers from all precincts responded, as well as Homicide and CSI. This investigation is very much active and ongoing, and is a priority for the Department. Information is limited at this time, as it is still early in the investigation. There is a press conference tentatively scheduled for later this afternoon, where we hope to provide additional information.

Central District News, one of our fellow independent community-collaborative online news services, has been on the story all night/morning – they have even more details here, and you can watch here for updates. SUNDAY AFTERNOON UPDATE: SPD will brief media at 3 pm today downtown. The acting chief, an assistant chief, and mayor will be there, according to the alert we received.

31 Replies to "Seattle Police officer killed: First official statement"

  • Dawn November 1, 2009 (8:21 am)

    this is absolutly awful!!!! I wish the punishment fit the crime when they find out who is responsible!!!!

  • no!! November 1, 2009 (8:33 am)

    Absolute heartbreak. My husband is an officer who has been an FTO and thankfully made it home alive last night. I commend the student officer for her quick action. It’s equally heartbreaking to know that they don’t have a suspect. Those persons are probably on their way to California right now. How completely cold and calculated this murder is. Thank you for having more information than the Seattle Times. I don’t know why they choose not to give this the full coverage it deserves.

  • grr November 1, 2009 (9:14 am)

    tragic. I spoke to a friend that works a later shift in the CD…he was pretty shook up. Pretty sure they WILL catch them. I hope they fry them. In a very public way.

  • Janice November 1, 2009 (9:18 am)

    Rest in Peace, This is Horrible that our Officers are in danger on the streets of our city. IT IS time we sent a message our courts are TOO lenient and trying to be PC and we enable them with excuses Their childhood was bad, they use drugs, they haven’t had the access to education. THERE is NO excuse to murder a policeman for any reason. I hope they catch them ASAP and the Courts give them the Penalty they deserve.

  • Tony November 1, 2009 (9:23 am)

    Thoughts go out to the friends and family of the officer. Tragic. Hope the catch the SOBs soon. And I hope they resist.

  • Terry November 1, 2009 (9:59 am)

    Just sick, thoughts to the family and friends of the officer and the student officer involved. I also hope the scum resist when caught.

  • Steph November 1, 2009 (10:00 am)

    This pisses me off to no end. It sounds like an execution.

  • bridge to somewhere November 1, 2009 (10:01 am)

    what a cowardly, cowardly act. my thoughts are with the families of these officers, and our SPD force in general.

  • Westie November 1, 2009 (10:11 am)

    Thank you, SPD, for your brave and continued, service, especially in the face of danger like this. Know that even though I don’t say so when I see you, I admire and appreciate your service.

  • Jim November 1, 2009 (10:15 am)

    some thugs pull up RIGHT NEXT to a pair of officers an OPEN FIRE?! FIND THEM. PUNISH TO THE FULLEST EXTENT OF THE LAW.

    if they’re involved in a gang, FIND THE GANG MEMBERS AND DO THE SAME. Seattle has let itself get overrun with this SCUM. time to take out the trash. neighborhood watches should be MANDATORY for ALL NEIGHBORHOODS. TAKE BACK THIS CITY. let these wastes of carbon find out first hand that the people of Seattle are not going to take it anymore.

    my thoughts and prayers go out to this officer’s family. honor him by ACTUALLY DOING SOMETHING to solve the PROBLEM that CAUSED HIS UNFAIR DEATH.

  • miws November 1, 2009 (10:30 am)

    I can’t add much to what has already been stated here, so many have expresseed much of my feelings on this tragedy.

    .

    “no!!”, a huge thank you, to your husband and all of the other officers at SPD, as well as our other area police agancies, and to their spouses and families that not only live with this fear everyday, but must go through an unimaginable hell, in the initial reports of “Officer Down”, wondering if their loved one is involved.

    .

    Also my deepest condolences to all, and to the fallen Officer’s family and other friends.

    .

    Mike

  • Cop Lover November 1, 2009 (10:40 am)

    Our sincere and deep condolences to all those affected by this shocking tragic murder.
    All of Seattle should be saddened by gun violence.
    Off subject, but relevant to “no!!”
    “Thank you for having more information than the Seattle Times. I don’t know why they choose not to give this the full coverage it deserves.” no!!
    WSB might point out that the Seattle Times had gone to print before the SPD shooting so they did not “choose” not to cover this. I expect to see full coverage on Monday’s Seattle Times.
    This is another example of WSB’s agility for quick response.

  • Sasquatch November 1, 2009 (10:42 am)

    I’m shocked and saddened. Thank you to all of the police who put their lives on the line every day.

    I looked on cnn.com and didn’t find this story on their site. Seems like it’s well worth covering.

  • CanDo November 1, 2009 (10:53 am)

    No… please thank your husband for me as well, and all the other officers at SPD for the difficult and dangerous jobs they do every day. We appreciate them. And deepest condolences to the family of the officer who didn’t make it home last night. This is a terrible tragedy.

  • Mike D. November 1, 2009 (10:54 am)

    Outraged at this most disgusting act of cowardice. Sadness for the family of the slain officer and SPD as a whole.

  • Pete November 1, 2009 (10:57 am)

    This is one of those times that you just have to shake your head and wonder what someone was thinking. This is absolutely a senseless act. After having been at the Seattle Police Foundation awards banquet on Friday night and listening to some of the stories of what members of the SPD did for our commuinty last year this death of a SPD officer is even more horrible.

    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    I for one am very thankful that there are some of our fellow citizens that are willing to put their lives on the line to protect the rest of us in this community. I know that there is great sadness and grief within the SPD family today and I just hope that they catch whoever did this quickly.

  • Safe Streets November 1, 2009 (11:05 am)

    So Sorry.
    Time for a MAJOR Gang Crackdown!

  • six November 1, 2009 (11:37 am)

    How bizarre. Normally when officers are killed in the line of duty it is during a shoot out or something similar. A drive-by execution of a cop is pretty weird.

    It will be interesting to see what motivated it.

  • shane November 1, 2009 (12:39 pm)

    Absolutely heartbreaking. I really have nothing else………….

  • k November 1, 2009 (1:15 pm)

    I am so sorry for your loss SPD, and the community’s loss as well.
    If you know, or are related to a first responder, Please thank them today from me. My family appreciates all that you do to keep us safe.

  • jay November 1, 2009 (1:28 pm)

    First of all, my condolences to the family, and SPD. Seattle better wake up an smell the coffee. This city is being overrun by thugs. Drive by on police officers? What do you think they will do us, the average citizen. God help us all…

  • Mike November 1, 2009 (2:01 pm)

    Sad to hear about this, a crime of the worst kind, cold blooded murder. I hope this is a wake up call, it’s happened so many times to common place citizens and only now is their outrage in the community. It’s long past due to crack down on these shootings. It’s unfortunate that it takes the murder of a police officer to bring this type of attention to the issues which have plagued Seattle for quite a while now.

  • Ignatz November 1, 2009 (2:05 pm)

    I have to respond to ‘six’..what ‘motivated’ this? As though there’s a valid motivation even worth knowing about for this old blooded murder? This was a hate crime against those who are there to protect us. I’m in awe of the student officer who returned fire.

  • Babs November 1, 2009 (2:10 pm)

    Hang in there SPD! You will get them! They will pay and pay and pay for this cowardly horrible act. All my heartfelt condolences to the family and that includes the entire SPD family.

  • six November 1, 2009 (2:33 pm)

    I did not claim that there is a motivation that would be valid here “ignatz” – merely that it would be interesting to see what made someone do this appalling crime. Does my curiosity sound better when I express my disgust in this cold-blooded murder or did you not assume that my curiosity was based on heartlessness and lack of outrage? Of course not. Wanting to know why something happened is a good step in trying to figure out a way to prevent it from happening again.

  • WSB November 1, 2009 (2:36 pm)

    In case you look at the comments rather than the main bar – there is an update at seattletimes.com this afternoon – the murdered officer is reported to have been 39 and a resident of Marysville. Murder weapon believed to have been a rifle.
    http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010181624_webcopshot01m.html
    .
    Police are having a briefing downtown at 3 pm and we may go in person to make sure we can bring you the latest information directly – TR

  • Chuck and Sally's Van Man November 1, 2009 (2:50 pm)

    There was a huge police presence about an hour ago at some apartments on Avalon (8 cop cars at least). I got the feeling it was related to the search for the suspects but it’s complete conjecture on my part. I hope they find these scumbags soon.

    My deepest condolences go out to the family of this slain hero. Thank you to all the police officers who put their lives on the line on our behalf each day.

    Chuck

  • WSB November 1, 2009 (2:53 pm)

    C&S, we ran out to try to find out what that was all about. All but one car gone when we got there. I have been listening to the scanner and there is no further traffic on that. I am currently planning to go downtown for the 3 pm briefing so that we can publish the newest information as it is released – including any further information on the suspect/s who are being sought – TR

  • walker November 1, 2009 (3:40 pm)

    This is very sad, I only hope they did not PR the man from jail. Our courts need to focus on safety instead of the costs.
    Thoughts and prayers to the family.

  • jay November 1, 2009 (3:54 pm)

    I challenge the citizens of seattle to step up and put pressure on our politicians to start hammering these gang bangers, and protect the officers and citizens of seattle. The punishment is always “not enough”. Example..the thugs who assaulted the officer in High Point/ max punishment 30 days? This was an an insult/slap in the face to all of us

  • StandUp November 1, 2009 (7:19 pm)

    I wonder if this had anything to do with the beating of the 15 year old girl.

Sorry, comment time is over.