Gun pulled on victims after following SPD officer advice

Stop telling residents to solve their own crimes and attempt to retrieve stolen property on their own. That’s what the police department’s Office of Professional Accountability is recommending to officers.

Related: Did Seattle police get a stand down order for homeless campers?

OPA recently investigated a complaint waged against multiple officers and concluded that the police department advised victims set up a meeting with a suspect who stole their property. The victims were told that cops would show up to help them, but even after a call to 911, that didn’t happen.

The result: suggested training.

The first officer

In February, the Seattle residents — who are construction contractors — contacted police after they noticed items for sale online. The online items appeared to be tools stolen from their work, KOMO reports. The first officer they contacted recommended the group contact the seller, set up a meeting in public, and call 911 an hour before the meet-up. They were told an officer would show up for the meeting with the suspect. It was referred to as “buy-bust operation.”

The officer told investigators that they were told by their supervisor to give out such advice. They also said that the department doesn’t have enough officers to respond to every case where a person is potentially selling stolen goods online.

The second officer

The victims alleged they were also told to do the buy-bust operation by a second officer who was working at a precinct desk. The report does not name which precinct. The desk officer told investigators they did not recall the conversation.

The third officer

The victims attempted to flag down an officer who was driving by shortly before they met the suspect. The officer stopped long enough for the group to tell them that they were about to meet a suspected thief with their stolen property. But the officer was dispatched to a priority one call and had to leave. The investigation concluded that this officer should have notified their supervisor or reported what the people were about to do. But the officer didn’t.

The call-taker

Finally, a 911 call-taker for the non-emergency line was interviewed by investigators. The victims alleged that they were told by the call-taker that they were sending police to their location. The call-taker, however, told investigators that they did not personally have the ability to send officers. That job was another employee’s responsibility. An audio recording of the phone call, however, tells a different story. The call-taker can be heard telling the victims, “I’m going to go ahead and send someone out and they will be there as soon as possible. If anything changes, call 911.”

The group met up with the suspect, despite no officers showing up. A letter from OPA director Pierce Murphy states that during this meet-up, a confrontation occurred and the suspect pulled a gun on the victims.

KOMO reports that the meeting happened at Northgate Mall around 11:10 p.m. Two victims met a man around 23-years-old and confirmed that he had the stolen tools. A third person, another construction contractor, then stepped into the situation. He took the keys out of the suspect’s Bronco. They were attempting to make a citizen’s arrest. A struggle ensued. The man then pulled a gun on the victims. He got his keys back and drove away, pointing his gun at the people the whole time yelling, “You want some of this!”

That’s when 911 was called. Police followed up after the incident and tracked the suspect to a Crown Hill home. They were further directed to a home in Shoreline where the suspect’s Bronco was parked. The man allegedly admitted to selling $5,000 worth of tools. He claimed the gun in question was a BB gun, but he threw it in some bushes.

OPA issued findings of “not sustained” for the allegations against all four police employees — one was following orders; another could not recall the conversation with the victims; and the third officer was on another call. It was concluded that the third officer should have called a supervisor or reported to another officer about the meet-up before it happened. Training has been suggested for all four employees.

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