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Investigation: No evidence Hamza Warsame beaten before fall

Hamza Warsame's sister Ikram at a rally calling for justice in the investigation of the 16-year-old's death (Image: CHS)

Hamza Warsame’s sister Ikram at a rally calling for justice in the investigation of the 16-year-old’s death (Image: CHS)

Hamza Warsame_4981Slowly, the results of the investigation into the death of Hamza Warsame are beginning to come to light.

Seattle Police officials say there is no sign the 16-year-old Seattle Central student was beaten before falling 60 feet from a building near Summit and Thomas on the afternoon of Saturday, December 5th. At the time, CHS was one of the only media outlets to report the death. But the story quickly grew into an international controversy and brought to light local tensions and concerns about hate and Islamophobia against local Muslim communities.

“This was murder, this was not a suicide,” Hamza’s sister Ikram Warsame told CHS. “He was content with his life, he had high hopes for the future.”

But police say that investigations have found no evidence of injuries from an altercation prior to the fall and a department spokesperson told a Seattle news writer there is “no indication of foul play.”

The King County Medical Examiner has told CHS that their death investigation is complete but the results have been on hold pending release by SPD due to the sensitive nature of the investigation and the wait for final toxicology reports to detect elements like alcohol or drug use.

Warsame was a Rainier Beach High School student starting his first quarter at Seattle Central under the college’s Running Start program, a SCC spokesperson told CHS. Running Start allows high school juniors and seniors to take college–level classes for high school and college credit. Ikram told CHS her and Hamza’s parents immigrated from Somalia to Seattle in 1994, where Hamza and Ikram were born and raised. After obtaining his associates degree, Ikram said Hamza wanted to attend MIT in Boston to study computer science. “He was interested in technology, he was a game fanatic,” she said.

To support the family, more than 100 people have donated to the #justiceforhamza giving campaign:

Thank you so much for all the prayers and well wishes. Our family is fighting to make sure that justice is served and we are confident that, with your help and support, we can make that happen. As of now we are still waiting for an update from the Seattle Police Department. We will let the public know of any information as soon as we are able to. May God bless you all. Thank you for sticking with us.

-Warsame Family

Hamza Warsame_4925

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21 Comments
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J
J
8 years ago

So, has anyone considered this as a suicide? Aside from the normal problems a 16 year old faces, I could see all of the recent stories of Islamaphobia being a factor. Perhaps he was facing it himself. Sad but, I do feel like if he wasn’t Muslim there would be a whole lot less speculation.

T
T
8 years ago
Reply to  J

I agree with J. Maybe is was just a sad accident with nobody to blame.

Jim98122x
Jim98122x
8 years ago
Reply to  J

At least every other year or so a (usually drunken) frat boy falls from a balcony or roof in the UDistrict. When was the last time everyone was so quick to conclude for one of them it was murder or suicide? Sometimes a tragic accident is just a tragic accident. Of course, that’s not great copy for certain politicians, is it?

Delia
Delia
8 years ago
Reply to  Jim98122x

Yes. Kids have fallen from dorm balconies as well. It’s possible he just fell, sitting on the rail or edge.

Biz
Biz
8 years ago

What evidence is there to not rule this a simple case of wanting to get a fun view of Seattle from the roof top access and the poor guy fell somehow?

To just assume the worst and march with F the police messages is insane.

Maybe I missed something?

joanna
8 years ago
Reply to  jseattle

thnx for the update.

Cap Hill Resident
Cap Hill Resident
8 years ago
Reply to  Biz

“What evidence is there to not rule this a simple case of wanting to get a fun view of Seattle from the roof top access and the poor guy fell somehow?”

It was a dark, overcast day, and raining fairly hard. It wouldn’t have been a “fun” view.

Gracie
8 years ago

Gee, you mean to tell me that Sawant was stirring the pot with her writing before she had the facts? Surprise, surprise.

District 3 Constituent
District 3 Constituent
8 years ago

This was a tragedy. However, it seemed like Sawant used the opportunity to portray to my neighbors as bigot murderers. I wonder what she will do next?

HELEN
HELEN
8 years ago

Why don’t they check if there is a security camera in the area to see if he was pushed off the building.

CD REZ
CD REZ
8 years ago

Gee, Hellen! Why didn’t anyone think of that?

AbleDanger12
AbleDanger12
8 years ago

It won’t matter what SPD and the King County M.E. release – the group of supporters (Sawant & Co.) have already decided what they wanted to hear, so anything they hear counter to that won’t be believed.

Michelle
Michelle
8 years ago

Has it ever occurred to you, jseattle, that you are contributing to the problems on the hill? This story did not need the spin you so willingly gave it. If anything you’re creating conspiracies in an effort to gain readership and you should be ashamed.

RWK
RWK
8 years ago
Reply to  Michelle

Michelle, your accusations are really misguided. Justin is reporting on our neighborhood’s problems, not contributing to them. I wish he had not published Sawant’s screed, where she speculated on the Hamza tragedy way before the investigation was complete, but other than that his coverage is very objective. This blog is an extremely valuable contribution to Capitol Hill.

Kid
Kid
8 years ago
Reply to  RWK

I disagree with you, Bob Knudson. I think Michelle is right on the money and CHS coverage is anything but objective on this subject. Just watch my post disappear.

daleallen
daleallen
8 years ago

This young man’s death is a tragedy an people are using it to push their own agendas.Stop,in the name of God

Data Driven
Data Driven
8 years ago

Can people get used to the idea that this may never be solved, and that one’s own amateur projections of cause do not approach probability or proof. From the articles we know that the young man went from the roof down. The potential causes are accident, suicide, or homicide. We know that the young man was an immigrant from Africa, Muslim, black and a student. We know that in society there is racism and Islamophobia.

Logic does not connect his background to his death. It takes facts specific to this particular event. Conspiracy theorists among us are attempting to advance their agendas at the expense of his memory and logic. May he rest in peace and may the rest of us let those who are entrusted with the investigation (police and medical examiner) and have the most facts, do their job, even if in the end, the results are inconclusive.

bb
bb
8 years ago
Reply to  Data Driven

There is no room for logic in the narrative of victimhood.