Inquest Ordered Into Police Killing of Seattle Man

First Seattle police claimed he charged at an officer with a knife, thus justifying the four bullets that were fired into his body, killing the 50-year-old Native American woodcarver. Then eyewitnesses came forward with a different story -- "He didn't even look up at the officer" -- prompting police to say they weren't so sure what happened after all.

Now King County Executive Dow Constantine is ordering an inquest into the August 30 shooting death of John T. Williams after receiving a request to do so on Monday from the county prosecutor who reviewed the case. Inquests are "routinely called to determine the causes and circumstances of any death involving a member of any law enforcement agency within King County," according to Constantine's office, and entail a series of "fact-finding hearings conducted before a six-member jury."

According to the latest police story, Williams was seen by Officer Ian Birk, a 27-year-old two-year veteran of the force, crossing the street at around 4:15 p.m. carrying a pocket knife (with a three-inch blade) and a piece of carving wood. After flipping on his emergency lights and getting out of his vehicle, Birk then three times ordered Williams to drop the knife; when he didn't respond, Birk shot and killed him, claiming his life was in danger. Witnesses say the whole ordeal transpired in around a minute.

But Birk's claim he was operating in strict self-defense has been called into question, including by the many who knew Williams, a popular local woodcarver, as a completely non-threatening if often inebriated homeless man.

"He had a long history of homelessness and a long history of drinking, and he suffered with some profound cognitive challenges from that," Nicole Macri, a spokeswoman for the Downtown Emergency Services Center where Williams often stayed told The Seattle Times. Others told the paper that Williams was hard of hearing and deaf in one ear, perhaps explaining why he may not have immediately responded to the officer's commands.

An autopsy by the King County Medical Examiner also found that Williams was shot in the side, meaning he wasn't facing the cop who killed him. Eyewitnesses also say they saw no reason for the officer to use lethal force.

"His body stance did not look threatening at all," witness Amber Maurina told the Times. "I could only see the gentleman's back, and he didn't look aggressive at all. He didn't even look up at the officer."

"From what I saw, it did not look right."

Photo Credit: Chris Daniel