By Dave Workman
Editor-in-Chief
One day after Seattle police fatally shot an armed, shirtless man who was waving a gun near a light rail station and an elementary school, a small group of protesters gathered to question the use of lethal force.
The situation is not unlike past incidents, in Seattle and elsewhere, and the reactions on social media to various accounts of the story by local media offers a starkly contrasting glimpse of what separates the political factions in this Pacific Northwest metropolis.
The protest was organized by a group calling itself the Seattle Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, according to KOMO, the local ABC affiliate.
The dead man, who was black, has not been identified. Police told reporters that he ignored commands to drop the gun. When he allegedly aimed the gun at officers, they opened fire, killing him.
KIRO, the local CBS affiliate, confirmed the shooting occurred near the school, residential apartments and local businesses.
KING, the NBC affiliate, said the King County Sheriff’s Department is leading the independent investigation to determine whether deadly force was necessary.
All of this is routine, and what seems equally normal—at least for Seattle—is the reaction on social media to people who argue the police should have tried to de-escalate, should have used less-than-lethal force, or should have tried to wound the suspect. Arguments supporting police are appearing at the KOMO website and on the KING Facebook report.
Some of the harshest reactions to the protesters can be found at the KIRO Facebook site. KIRO quoted Robert Engel with the Seattle Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression. He told reporters that responding officers should have de-escalated and used less-lethal options first.
“Compounding issues that come when, you know, the police kill people and fail to de-escalate,” Engel reportedly said.
But responses were overwhelmingly in support of how police handled the situation.
“People complaining about gun violence and when a man armed with a gun is stopped by police the police are the bad ones?!,” one woman wrote. “Some people really live in a bubble. If someone doesn’t comply with commands and has a gun In hand there’s nothing else that can de-escalate the situation than eliminating the threat. But of course since it ain’t your life’s in danger than obviously you have the privilege to complain.”
Another respondent observed, “What do you people expect. When you point a gun at law enforcement officers, do you think they are just going to keep talking. HELL NO! They are and will shoot to stop a threat from further escalation. They don’t shoot to kill, they shoot to stop a threat.”
Over at the KING Facebook discussion, when one woman wrote, “Police always killing people instead of finding other ways to save people. This guy should not be dead,” the reaction was blunt.
One man challenged, “He was waving a gun around a busy intersection and pointed his gun at the cops. What should have been done?”
Another man added, “How exactly should they have intervened? They told him to drop it and he didn’t comply. You should ride along with SPD. If he is aiming a gun at people how do you know when he will pull the trigger and kill people? Please explain…” There was no reply.
