Emotions boil over in court as man who killed 19-year-old in CHOP faces victim’s family
Jun 30, 2023, 6:01 PM
Lorenzo Anderson's sister in court on June 30, 2023 (KIRO 7)
(KIRO 7)
Emotions overflowed in a King County courtroom on Friday, as the family of a 19-year-old killed in Seattle’s CHOP zone in 2020 addressed his killer.
In May, Marcel Long pleaded guilty to killing Lorenzo Anderson on a second-degree murder charge. At the time, Anderson’s family intimated that without a trial, their son wasn’t getting the justice he deserves.
Those emotions boiled over in court for Long’s sentencing on Friday. At one point, the judge had to suspend the hearing as Anderson’s mother removed her jacket and ran toward the side of the courtroom where Long’s family appeared to be seated. She could be heard yelling, “you are not going to disrespect my son!”
After the sentencing resumed, Anderson’s family addressed his killer directly.
“I don’t want to throw you to the wolves,” Anderson’s mother said to Long. “I don’t want to hurt you, but my son deserves to be here.”
“My brother didn’t deserve what you did to him,” his sister said, fighting through tears. “You guys jumped my brother, and then shot him… you guys are sick.”
Marcel Long was 19 years old when he was seen on surveillance video chasing after Anderson in the CHOP zone and shooting him. SPD officers claimed that a hostile crowd prevent them and paramedics from getting to Anderson. Ultimately, CHOP medics took Anderson to Harborview, where he later died.
Long then went on the run out of state for almost a year. U.S. Marshals found him when he return to the Seattle area last summer.
The City of Seattle settled a wrongful death lawsuit with Lorenzo’s father, Horatio, for $500,000. That lawsuit claimed Lorenzo would have lived if paramedics and police had been able to get into the CHOP zone.
Anderson’s mother also sued the city for wrongful death, claiming that by abandoning the East Precinct, SPD directly caused the situation that led to her sons death. That lawsuit was dismissed.
Long was sentenced to just over 14 years in prison on Friday as part of his plea deal.
