very wild pic.twitter.com/lRuoP2fUpV
— tyson dewitt (@igetchestpains) March 20, 2019
One person was reported shot in an incident involving Seattle Police on Melrose just south of E Olive Way,
Seattle Police were reporting one suspect was shot and down at the scene in a shooting involving at least three police officers, according to East Precinct radio dispatches. Seattle Fire was called to the scene just after 9:30 PM.
According to police radio, officers were called to the area minutes earlier Tuesday night to a report of a suicidal male armed with a gun.
The man was reported leaving a Melrose Ave apartment building. Arriving officers reported hearing at least one gunshot as they searched for the man. More gunfire was reported in the area minutes later.
UPDATE: SPD has confirmed the incident is an officer involved shooting:
Force Investigation detectives have responded to an officer-involved shooting in the 1600 block of Melrose. No officers are injured. Please expect traffic disruption in the immediate area as the investigation proceeds. More details to come.
— Seattle Police Dept. (@SeattlePD) March 20, 2019
UPDATE x2: Police say the man fired at officers:
Moments after arriving, officers made contact with the armed suspect, and gave him verbal commands to drop his weapon. The suspect shot his firearm at the officers, and officers returned fire, striking him. Officers provided immediate emergency care, and called for Seattle Fire Department medics, who transported the suspect to Harborview Medical Center.
Force Investigation detectives are investigating after a suicidal man armed with a handgun fired at police officers in the 1600 block of Melrose. Officers returned fire, striking him. Medics transported the man to Harborview for emergency medical care. https://t.co/bxs3yGE4a1
— Seattle Police Dept. (@SeattlePD) March 20, 2019
Police have closed off Melrose during the emergency response and investigation in what is likely to be a long process of collecting evidence and interviewing witnesses. Union guild representatives were also called to respond.
Seattle Fire reportedly transported the man who was shot to Harborview but we do not have any information about his condition.
— The Jewlish (@jewlish) March 20, 2019
Seeing @SeattlePD activity on Melrose Ave between Olive Way & Pine St blocking all NB & SB lanes. Use alternate routes. pic.twitter.com/pfvMVJlNBK
— SDOT Traffic (@SDOTtraffic) March 20, 2019
Right after shots were fired pic.twitter.com/Nh0EwaeULH
— Jessica (@jdb3lla) March 20, 2019
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I live on Bellevue with a patio overlooking the Pine Box and the parking lot next door. Around 9.30 I noticed a lot of police cars in the area, and a friend messaged me that he had seen police with guns drawn and riot shields running down Pine. I was standing on my patio watching the scene when about two minutes later I heard a lot of shouting, and then a single shot, followed by a fusillade, and then a lot more shouting. The shooting happened so close by that I could smell the gunpowder afterwards. Would like to know the whole story of what happened.
It’s interesting that the officers were able to disable the man without killing him……wish that happened more often.
It’s luck in a gun fight. He could be dead. The guy is lucky
From what I heard, the officers unloaded on him – it literally sounded like an explosion when they returned fire. I imagine that the training isn’t so much about aiming, as it is getting enough lead down range to disable the target. I was convinced at the time that they must have shot him to pieces, so if he was just wounded he is indeed very lucky.
Well, he was suicidal and wanted the police to kill him. So he may not consider himself lucky to be alive.
How do we know he was suicidal? There is nothing in this report to indicate that.
Looking forward to the reports. From ear witness reports there were a lot of shots fired. Assuming this person survived, how many bullets struck the guy, and where did the rest of the bullets go? I’m not saying Officers don’t have a right to defend themselves. I’m not saying they were wrong to return fire. I’m saying there are potential consequences to a hail of bullets. It worries me. Anyway, looking forward to the reports.
Police logic: “He’s suicidal! Shoot him!!!”
You miss the part about him shooting at them?
That’s what they said happened. As an eyewitness to the events, I don’t find their version of events to match up terribly well to what I saw.
That’s not to say they weren’t justified, but it really doesn’t take much to justify police shootings, does it?
It’s such a tragic loss to our society that so many people who could *clearly* do such a far superior job of policing didn’t choose that career instead of whichever one they did.
Eyewitness my arse, AlexH.
Alex. If you’re an eyewitness ha e you spoke to detectives then? Give them your prespective?
I watched the body cam footage and it backed up the police’s claim.