JASON RANTZ

Attorney for CHOP shooting victim: City had no plan to deal with trouble

Jul 27, 2020, 12:23 PM

chop...

(Photo by Karen Ducey/Getty Images)

(Photo by Karen Ducey/Getty Images)

Donnitta Sinclair lost her 19 year-old son, Lorenzo, to a gun homicide in the CHOP zone, and is now suing the city. Sinclair is represented by the Herrmann Law Group. Her attorney Mark Lindquist is a former Pierce County prosecutor and joined the Jason Rantz Show to discuss the lawsuit.

What is at the core of the lawsuit against the city?

“We’re focused on two of the mistakes in particular the city made: Number one, the city abandoned the East Precinct and the surrounding area. Number two, the city had no plan to deliver essential services into this abandoned area,” he said.

“When the city abandoned the area, it was foreseeable that trouble would follow, and the city had no plan to deal with that trouble.”

Uncle Ike’s owner on riot damage, says city not letting police do their jobs

Does he think the city is going argue that they tried to send police into the CHOP, but they just weren’t allowed, and felt that if they pushed harder there would have been more potential for violence?

“Looking at the videos, at least in front of the medics, it appears fire[fighters] had a pretty clear path to Lorenzo. The police — and it’s unclear why — were staged in a completely different area. The police and the firefighters — had they been together in that area where the firefighters were staged — would have had a clear path to Lorenzo. And there were people saying to them, ‘Come in, come in. He needs help. You can save his life. We need you.’”

Why one Seattle councilmember moved from wanting more police funding to 50% defund

Does the ultimate responsibility fall to the mayor,or is that something that should be put on the police chief?

“It’s an ongoing investigation, but I think it falls on the shoulders of all the elected and appointed officials that they weren’t on the same page, that they didn’t have a plan, that they weren’t focused on public safety,” Lindquist said. “You can have lawful protests and still have public safety.”

What role does Lindquist believe the CHOP activists played in all of this?

“I want to say that the Seattle police are investigating the shooting and even though that’s separate — the criminal action separate from the civil action — obviously, as a former processor, I want to see justice on that as well. But bringing it back to the situation of the activists. The activists, unlike the city, don’t have the duty and the obligation, it’s not the job of the activists to come up with a public safety plan,” he said.

“It is the job of the city to have a public safety plan, to deliver essential services, to protect people.”

Listen to the Jason Rantz Show weekday afternoons from 3 – 6 p.m. on KTTH 770 AM (or HD Radio 97.3 FM HD-Channel 3). Subscribe to the podcast here.

Jason Rantz on AM 770 KTTH
  • listen to jason rantzTune in to AM 770 KTTH weekdays at 3-7pm toThe Jason Rantz Show.

Jason Rantz Show

Jason Rantz

Burien lawsuit...

Jason Rantz

Exclusive: City of Burien sues King County for breaking contract in homeless camping ban

The City of Burien filed a lawsuit against King County for its refusal to enforce a homeless camping ban that was lawfully adopted.

21 hours ago

Image: The Stevens County Sheriff's Office says it recently received an odd call from a Sasquatch h...

Jason Rantz

Rantz: Sheriff’s office asked legality of hunting Sasquatch in Stevens County

A Sasquatch hunter had an interesting question for the Stevens County sheriff. Is it legal to hunt Sasquatch?

2 days ago

Image: Children bike past Wilson Elementary in Spokane....

Jason Rantz

Rantz: ‘Racist’ Spokane elementary school’s ‘slaves and hobos’ ignites controversy

After a teacher told students they could dress as "slaves and hobos" for an event, the Spokane NAACP cried foul.

3 days ago

Images: At left, Bellevue Police Department Officer Kevin Bereta is seen in his uniform. At right, ...

Julia Dallas

Bellevue officer injured in VP Harris motorcade recalls road to reclaiming benefits

Bellevue Police Officer Kevin Bereta's life changed while he was on VP Kamala Harris' service detail during her visit to Washington.

3 days ago

permanent supportive housing...

Jason Rantz

Rantz: You’re being lied to about permanent supportive housing in Redmond

Redmond residents rightly push back against permanent supportive housing as a solution for the homeless, as Seattle media get in the way.

4 days ago

WA State Attorney General Bob Ferguson campaigning.  (Photo by Karen Ducey/Getty Images)...

Jason Rantz

Rantz: On crime, Bob Ferguson campaign made its first massive blunder

The Bob Ferguson campaign wants you thinking his top priority is crime. His entire political history says otherwise.

5 days ago

Attorney for CHOP shooting victim: City had no plan to deal with trouble