Content warning: Graphic video
Wild body camera footage has been released showing the moment Seattle police fatally shot a suspected sex offender at gunpoint during a sting operation. The suspect reportedly believed he was meeting two underage girls.
According to the Seattle Police Department (SPD), the suspect, 67, arrived at the DoubleTree Suites Hotel in Tukwila around 3:15 p.m. Wednesday, believing he was meeting two girls, ages 7 and 11. did.
When he knocked on his hotel room door, he was greeted by several SPD officers from the Washington State Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, who went undercover and waited to make the arrest.
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Dramatic body camera footage shows the moment Seattle police fatally shot a suspected sex offender at gunpoint during a sting operation. (Seattle Police Department)
When police opened the door, one of the officers tried to wrest the gun from the suspect, and the suspect pulled it out, video shows.
Two other officers fired several shots at the suspect, killing him at the scene, when a gunshot rang out.
“Shots fired, shots fired, suspect down,” one officer can be heard saying.
One of the officers was grazed by a bullet, but is expected to recover.
“For officers, these situations are dangerous, unpredictable, and can quickly escalate,” SPD Chief Adrian Diaz said, adding that internet crimes against children will increase by 67% from 2022 to 2023. He added that he is doing so.
It is unclear what the suspect was accused of doing or what prompted police to launch the sting operation.
Eric Wehmeister, a man who was staying at the hotel, said he saw the situation unfold quickly.
“I was running and I saw someone firing a gun,” Wehrmeister told KOMO. “There were a lot of gunshots. I’m glad they moved away from my room. It could have been a lot worse.”
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SPD Chief Adrian Diaz said the suspect pulled out a gun during a sting operation when he thought he was meeting two underage girls. (Seattle Police Department)
Nicole Parker, a former FBI special agent, told Fox News Digital that officers had to react on the fly to a rapidly changing situation.
“I commend the Seattle Police Department officers for their quick wits and their ability to quickly neutralize the threat and ensure no one was harmed,” Parker said. “Unfortunately, given the countless recent deaths of police officers in the line of duty, we know it doesn’t always work out this way.”
Mr Parker said pedophile offenders are often the most dangerous offenders and can put police in life-threatening situations.
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Former FBI Special Agent Nicole Parker says child predators are among the most dangerous criminals. (Fox News)
“They know when they’re going to get caught. They’re going to be gone for a long time, so they have nothing to lose,” Parker said, adding that two of his former FBI special agent colleagues He mentioned being shot and killed while executing a search warrant for a child predator. 3 years ago.
She said police are trained to respond when someone’s life is in danger.
“Officers should not have to wait for shots to be fired before using deadly force,” Parker said.
“Officers use deadly force until a subject no longer poses a threat, and that appears to be exactly what happened in this case. This was a lawful use of deadly force.”
