Officers who killed Charleena Lyles won’t face charges
Nov 16, 2017, 8:45 AM | Updated: 10:55 am
The two officers who shot and killed Charleena Lyles acted within department policy, according to a review board. (SPD)
(SPD)
The two Seattle Police officers who shot and killed Charleena Lyles acted “reasonably” and within department policy and training, according to the department’s Force Review Board, The Seattle Times reports.
Lyles, a black pregnant mother of four, was shot by two white officers responding to her 911 call about a burglary back in June. The officers found no signs of a burglary.
Officers Steven McNew and Jason Anderson say they fired when Lyles allegedly tried to stab them. She was shot seven times.
VIDEO: Footage from outside the apartment
In a unanimous vote, the review board found the officers used proper tactics and decision making, followed their training, and did not violate deescalation and crisis-intervention policies, KIRO Radio’s Hanna Scott reports.
In a statement Wednesday night, an attorney for Lyles’ family said they don’t accept that the killing was unavoidable and that if it was within policy and training, the department needs to change its policy and training.
Earlier this year, Seattle attorney Jeffery Robinson told Seattle’s Morning News that it was unlikely that the officers would be charged with a crime.
“Well, I’m heartbroken over what happened in Seattle,” he said. “As you know, Seattle has the most extreme use-of-force statute in the country. What I can tell you is that the police officers who shot and killed that woman in Seattle, nobody should expect them to be charged with a crime. It absolutely, positively will not happen under the law as it is in Seattle.”
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