Seattle police have offered different details of Monday's fatal shooting of a homeless man by a patrol officer, with commanders saying they now don't know if the man advanced toward the officer with a knife as police originally reported, reports the city's Times. The man ignored three commands to drop the knife as the officer stood about nine feet away, leading the officer to believe his safety was in jeopardy, according to top police officials. Police Chief John Diaz said he has "a lot more questions than answers" after Officer Ian Birk fired four rounds at John T. Williams, 50, a wood carver who had a folding knife with a 3-inch blade and a piece of wood in his hands.
Diaz pledged a complete and transparent investigation by homicide detectives, to be followed by a firearms review board to determine whether Birk, 27, adhered to department policy. Diaz said an inquest hearing would be held to determine what happened around 4:15 p.m. Monday when Birk, with the department for two years, confronted Williams. The shooting victim was a member of the Chief Seattle Club, a day center and social-service agency that provides hot meals, health care and other help for Native Americans.
Posted by woodcarver MD
Sunday, September 05, 2010 10:46
This psychopathic delusional deranged racists murderer obviously must be immediately deprived of all his firearms as he is a very real danger to society. He is the one who is mentally ill and incapacitated by fantasies and delusions. He is incapable of differentiating a carving tool from a weapon in broad daylight. Instead of bringing peace security calmness stability to a situation which in fact did not exist except in his delusional state and feverish brain, he was the source of danger threat to life disorder anarchy not the disabled limping half deaf woodcarver who was minding his own business of no threat to anyone.
The native woodcarver of course wasnt all there either as no sane person should walk around with a carving knife in a busy downtown intersection. He should have of course found a quiet park bench and do his carving there. But this psycho cop might find that threatening. Such a neurotic hysterical psychopath should never be given a firearm and of course shouldnt have been considered for police duties anywhere anytime.
You need calmness intelligence integrity ability to size up situations and a great deal of judgement to be issued a firearm. By his actions he has proven that he is deficient in all of these.
Next time this psycho will shoot a girl playing the flute misidentifying it as a blowgun. Or a guy blowing a vuvuzela. WHAT OTHER DELUSIONs IS HE SUFFERING FROM?
Acrually I dont care but he must be deprived of his firearms pronto.
Actually when he is charged with first degree murder I have just given him a defense, he is delusional and hallucinating when he sees any knife. He must be a real threat in the kitchen if someone is chopping vegetables.
Sane police officers mustn’t defend the horrific actions of a psycho in their ranks.
Or is he indeed a racist who was turned on to slaughter by seeing an identifiably Indian homeless man who just happened to be a woodcarver? The only good Indian is a dead Indian?
Four shots? That’s an execution.
If I were an AMERICAN I would hold a carve-in on that infamous street corner and erect a mortuary pole
there in memory for one who has fallen for his sacred art.
Who would have thought that woodcarving is a lethal hobby profession or art?
Posted by j
Wednesday, September 01, 2010 11:53
Actually,
Eyewitness accounts have stated the man was shot while walking AWAY from the officer. Mmm…and really… the officer had to shoot him four times! That is f*cked.
Yes, he may have ‘lunged’ at the officer. However, no closer than from 9 feet away, because he was shot down before he came within in ‘threatening’ lunging distance. And actually as eyewitness accounts have stated, the man was too inebriated to lunge! He was unable to move foward suddenly, therefore he could not lunge! Rather, he stumbled towards the officer, got to within 1.5 car lengths, turned around and then was shoot numerous times in the back. This man was REAL THREATENING ESPECIALLY COMING FROM AN INEBRIATED OUT OF SHAPE 50 something year old carrying a LEGAL length pocket knife of under 3 inches!
Posted by Lis
Wednesday, September 01, 2010 10:21
This was a murder, plain and simple. The officer has lied, saying the victim lunged at him, and when caught in this lie, then recanted and claimed the he had no taser available, which is also in doubt. What a disgrace. Those officers protecting their “brother” officer are just as guilty for fabricating these lies to make the victim look like a criminal deserving of being killed. What is wrong with disabling him with one shot to the leg, unless you are counting on the fact that a dead man cannot argue? This also is a very dangerous situation to shoot 4 rounds in the vicinity of a busy intersection. That no one else was injured by a stray bullet is fortunate. I knew the victim, and as many are witnessing his harmless demeanor, the public would best be served by locking up the “officer” as the murderer he is. There is no such thing as a 2-year veteran, as the police force is claiming. This is a rookie officer who belongs in prison with the rest of the murderers. The morons who hired him should be fired and/or prosecuted for negligence and ethics violations.
Posted by Ted
Wednesday, September 01, 2010 09:11
If this officer really felt threatened by this old homeless man holding a three inch blade and a piece of wood from nine feet away then I suggest he was not cut out to be a police officer in the first place. Apparently, there was a lie circulating that the old man had lunged at the officer. If the lie was promoted by a police officer or officers it would be refreshing to see the liars thrown off the force since the SPD has been exposed numerous times for this practice, a standard one in many police forces and one that should be punished when exposed. What a shameful killing.