Inquest ordered into fatal shooting of pregnant woman

An inquest has been ordered to further investigate the fatal shooting of a Renee Davis, a pregnant Native American woman.

The order was given by King County Executive Dow Constantine. The inquest was recommended by the county prosecutor after the office reviewed the Sheriff’s reports on the fatal officer-involved shooting.

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Unlike a police investigation, an inquest is a judicial investigation that involves a judge and a six-member jury. The goal of the inquest will be to determine the causes and circumstances of the death. Constantine’s order essentially requests that King County District Court Presiding Judge Donna Tucker assign a judge to conduct the inquest.

On Oct. 21, two King County Sheriff’s deputies were called to the home of 23-year-old Renee Davis on the Muckleshoot Indian Reservation in Auburn, according to PBS Newshour. Davis’ boyfriend had called 911 and reported that his girlfriend sent text messages implying that she was about to harm herself, and photos indicating that she had may have already harmed herself. The boyfriend was not at home with Davis, and deputies arrived to conduct a welfare check.

Two of Davis’ three children were at home. One of the children — ages 2 and 3 years old — let the deputies in. Davis was reportedly found in a room sitting under a blanket. When the deputies removed the blanket, she reportedly had a handgun in one hand and ammunition in the other. The sheriff’s office has said that Davis refused orders to put the gun down. She was then shot by the deputies.

Davis was five-months pregnant at the time of the shooting. She died at the home.

Deputies, reportedly, would later find that the gun was not loaded, but the magazine she held was.

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