Memorial grows at housing complex where 30-year-old mother was shot
Jun 20, 2017, 6:01 AM | Updated: 6:18 am
(KIRO 7)
A memorial is growing outside a Sand Point housing complex where a 30-year-old mother of four was shot and killed by Seattle police Sunday, who said she was armed with a knife.
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Charleena Lyles lived there with her four children. Her family says she was three month’s pregnant and had a history of mental health problems.
Several meetings may be happening near the complex Tuesday and Wednesday, including a rally this weekend.
The Seattle Education Association says they will be wearing Black Lives Matter shirts Tuesday with a rally in Lyles’ honor at Garfield High School at 12:30 p.m.
And as family, friends and supporters mourn, city officials, including the police chief, are speaking about what can be done to prevent such a shooting from happening again.
On Monday night, Seattle police released dashcam and hallway video. It shows the moments leading up to the point where police say the woman confronted two officers with a knife.
Court records show police were last at the housing complex for a call involving Lyles on June 5, and noted the case should proceed to a mental health court.
Lyles’ family members say police could have de-escalated the situation.
“I know that they had to have known that, anything that was wrong with her, and I assumed they knew – I don’t know why they would come in here and forcefully shoot her,” said Lyles’ brother, Domico Jones.
Seattle police Chief Kathleen O’Toole said the officers in the shooting did not have stun guns, but did have other less lethal tools.