Patrol car cameras were rolling New Year’s Eve after a gunman fired toward officers on a South Seattle street.
The shooting came minutes after police responded, for the second time New Year’s Eve, to a report of a domestic violence incident at a home in the 4200 block of S. Eddy Street.
Officers were first called to the home shortly after 10 PM after receiving a report of a domestic dispute between a man and a woman. Officers investigated the incident and left the scene to complete their report.
A short time later, around 10:30 PM, police returned to the home after receiving a second 911 call from the victim, who said the suspect had kicked a door and was making threats.
By 10:35, officers were interviewing the suspect as he sat on the hood of a patrol car parked on S. Eddy Street. This is where video of the incident begins.
In the video, officers are seen speaking with the domestic violence suspect as, off-camera, one vehicle pulled up rapidly behind the officer’s patrol car and another vehicle stopped farther down the block.
Officers heard gunfire and quickly took cover behind the patrol car, shielded the domestic violence suspect, and returned fire. Police believe the gunman’s car then pulled away. No one was injured in the incident.
Three officers involved in the incident are on paid administrative leave, per standard department policy. The officers include a nine-year veteran with the department, a five-year veteran, and another experienced officer, who was serving his first day on patrol in Seattle after transferring from another police agency out-of-state.
SPD’s Force Investigations Team will continue to investigate the shooting as homicide detectives search for the gunman. The department will release more details about this incident as information becomes available.
Anyone with information about this case should call the SPD tip line at (206) 233-5000.