Seattle Police Post Video of CHAZ CHOP Mob Blocking Cops From Responding to Deadly Shooting, Forcing Retreat by Officers

The Seattle Police Department posted a video compilation of the police response to a deadly shooting early Saturday morning at the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone (CHAZ) aka the Capitol Hill Organized Protest (CHOP). The video contains security camera footage that captures the sound of gunfire, police entering CHAZ in a phalanx and then being encircled and forced to retreat by the mob. One person died and another is in critical condition from the shooting.

Statement by police accompanying the video:

Update 6/20/2020:

This update includes officers’ body worn camera footage and other open-source videos.

Anyone with information on this incident is asked to call the Seattle Police Department’s Violent Crime tip line at (206) 233-5000.

Original Post:

Homicide detectives are investigating following a fatal shooting that occurred early Saturday morning at 10th Avenue and East Pine Street. One man was declared deceased at the hospital and another male is being treated for life-threatening injuries.

On June 20th, at approximately 2:30 AM, East Precinct officers responded to a report of shots fired in Cal Anderson Park. This is inside the area referred to as the Capitol Hill Organized Protest (CHOP). Officers attempted to locate a shooting victim but were met by a violent crowd that prevented officers safe access to the victims. Officers were later informed that the victims, both males, had been transported to Harborview Medical Center by CHOP “medics”.

Officers responded to Harborview and were informed that one of the victims, a 19-year-old male, had died from injuries. The other victim, also a male, unknown age, remains in the hospital with life-threatening injuries.

The suspect or suspect(s) fled and are still at large. There is no description at this time.

Homicide detectives responded and are conducting a thorough investigation, despite the challenges presented by the circumstances.

Anyone with information about this shooting, or who may have video, is asked to contact the Seattle Police Department’s Violent Crime tip line at (206) 233-5000.

This remains an active and on-going homicide investigation. This post will be updated as additional information becomes available.

The Seattle PD also posted a 29 page timeline in PDF that be read at this link.

The Seattle Times reported police did not respond to the report of a second shooting victim in CHAZ CHOP because of the mob:

…Alex Bennett, a former nurse, said she was walking her dog with a friend when she came across the second victim on the hood of a car, bleeding from a wound in his arm.

Bennett said she used her sweatshirt as a tourniquet to try to stanch the bleeding and asked someone to call 911. When a volunteer CHOP medic came by with a first aid kit, Bennett said they examined the man and found another wound in his chest.

The man’s skin was turning clammy and his breathing was shallow, she said, and when it became clear an ambulance wasn’t coming — or wouldn’t be there fast enough — she and others loaded him into a van and raced to Harborview, arriving at 3:06 a.m., where a medical team was waiting outside. He remained in the hospital, with life-threatening injuries, Saturday evening, according to police.

Bennett said she was questioned by a police officer, who she said “told me that when they responded to the first victim they were chased out of there, which is why they didn’t come for the second one.”