SEATTLE — The Office of Police Accountability (OPA) concluded two police officers violated Seattle Police Department (SPD) policy when they failed to de-escalate the situation before fatally shooting a “man in crisis” in 2021.
On February 15, 2021, Port of Seattle officers called SPD for assistance with a “man in crisis” wielding a knife to his throat.
According to the OPA, SPD officers responded to the scene at Alaskan Way and Seneca Street near Pier 55 and began developing a tactical plan.
Two additional officers arrived at the scene and parked their police vehicle in the path of the man. The OPA said the two officers left the vehicle with weapons drawn and began giving the man commands. The man walked toward one of the officers with his knife and said, “Do it, please, just shoot me.” Both officers fired shots that struck and killed the man, the OPA said.
According to the result of their investigation, the OPA concluded the two SPD officers who fired the shots violated the department’s de-escalation policy because they did not engage in any tactical discussions.
The OPA said the officers’ actions “undermined the critical principles of time, distance, and shielding” in de-escalation practices.
The officers did not violate the police department’s policy on deadly force, according to the OPA. The OPA said the officers fired their weapons in defense after the man approached one of the officers with his knife raised.
The SPD said it has supplemented its training resources over the past year, including de-escalation training involving edged weapons.
One of the officers involved was suspended without pay for one day, the other was suspended without pay for three days.
