Seattle police avoid 'suicide by cop' attempt

BY Brandi Kruse  on February 11, 2013 @ 12:41 pm (Updated: 12:56 pm - 2/11/13 )

With help from fellow officers, a Seattle police sergeant was able to deescalate an attempted "suicide by cop" incident early Friday morning.

Just after 4 a.m., the sergeant was returning to the East Precinct when a male driver attempted to get his attention by honking his horn. The man proceeded to stop in front of the sergeant's patrol car and exited his vehicle holding a switchblade knife.

Seattle police Detective Renee Witt said the man wanted to be killed, telling the sergeant "You are going to have to take me" and "You are going to have to do me, sorry."

According to Witt, he acted as if he were going to charge at the sergeant, who called for reinforcements.

The man had a deep, self-inflicted cut to his left wrist and officers were able to keep the situation under control until he began to lose consciousness and fell to the ground.

The man was taken into custody without incident and transported to Harborview Medical Center for treatment and a mental health evaluation.

Brandi Kruse, KIRO Radio Reporter
Brandi Kruse is a reporter for KIRO Radio who is as spontaneous and adventurous in her free time as she is on the job. Brandi arrived at KIRO Radio in March 2011 and has already collected three regional Edward R. Murrow awards for her reporting.
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Comments (4)


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  • CH wrote...
    he should have said he was a
    February 11, 2013 12:55 pm
    woodcarver! Dead and done.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • BikerDude wrote...
    FYI
    February 11, 2013 1:49 pm
    I have first hand knowledge of someone going to Harborview Medical Center for treatment and when she got out LESS than 24hrs later she was enrolled to receive foodstamps,cash assistance, medical assistance and housing!!!! Must be nice to be a deadbeat.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • HPD 5-0 wrote...
    Must be nice to be a deadbeat.
    February 11, 2013 3:30 pm
    I wouldn't know. But CH can answer that....
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • imanegro wrote...
    Nice work, SPD.
    February 11, 2013 3:34 pm
    Especially The Sgt. Thanks.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }