Prosecutors have said they won't criminally charge a Seattle police officer who shot and killed a knife-wielding, homeless protester during a brief encounter on a street corner in a case that has prompted angry protests and calls for increased scrutiny of police tactics.
Officer Ian Birk, who had been on paid leave since the Aug. 30 shooting, resigned hours after King County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg's announcement. Relatives and other supporters of John T. Williams had asked Satterberg to charge Birk, 27, with manslaughter, saying Williams didn't pose a threat to the officer. The officer said he fired only after Williams failed to drop the three-inch knife despite being repeatedly ordered to do so.
At a news conference, Satterberg said the shooting was a "good faith mistake, however tragic" and no charges would be filed. But the police department's Firearms Review Board separately released findings Wednesday that describe the shooting as "unjustified and outside of policy, tactics and training." Police Chief John Diaz said Birk's resignation won't curtail a departmental investigation into his conduct. "Reaching our own administrative conclusion is a necessary step to providing a small degree of closure to the many people affected by this tragedy," Diaz said.
The killing of the 50-year-old Williams prompted an almost-immediate outcry and calls for more scrutiny of the police force. Days after the shooting, dozens marched through Seattle to protest. In December, the American Civil Liberties Union of Washington and other organizations asked the Department of Justice to conduct a civil-rights review, citing incidents including the shooting of Williams. The organizations claim some Seattle officers appear to "inflict injury out of anger" at suspects rather than to protect public safety.
On Wednesday afternoon, about 150 supporters of Williams, who was a Native American, gathered to demonstrate peacefully in lobby of City Hall, surrounding an Indian drum circle and singing. Later, several hundred people marched for hours through downtown, chanting and occasionally blocking traffic. They were escorted by police officers and no arrests were reported.
At a news conference, Satterberg said the shooting was a "good faith mistake, however tragic" and no charges would be filed. But the police department's Firearms Review Board separately released findings Wednesday that describe the shooting as "unjustified and outside of policy, tactics and training." Police Chief John Diaz said Birk's resignation won't curtail a departmental investigation into his conduct. "Reaching our own administrative conclusion is a necessary step to providing a small degree of closure to the many people affected by this tragedy," Diaz said.
The killing of the 50-year-old Williams prompted an almost-immediate outcry and calls for more scrutiny of the police force. Days after the shooting, dozens marched through Seattle to protest. In December, the American Civil Liberties Union of Washington and other organizations asked the Department of Justice to conduct a civil-rights review, citing incidents including the shooting of Williams. The organizations claim some Seattle officers appear to "inflict injury out of anger" at suspects rather than to protect public safety.
On Wednesday afternoon, about 150 supporters of Williams, who was a Native American, gathered to demonstrate peacefully in lobby of City Hall, surrounding an Indian drum circle and singing. Later, several hundred people marched for hours through downtown, chanting and occasionally blocking traffic. They were escorted by police officers and no arrests were reported.
