Seattle Police Release Dashcam Video Of Woodcarver's Shooting

[maencoch80]

fucking police they're are all the same, not even animals do that shit. I hate cops from the bottom of my heart

[JohnHardwick1976]

This is why I cheer when cops get slaughtered. Payback is a bitch.

[MyKangarooArmy]

At 4 minutes the stupid cop flat out says that all the victim had, was his knife open- not that he was threatening anyone. Where the hell's the ambulance? Why the hell the excesive force? Because in the 70's, it was written into washington state law that even if a friggin cop felt threatened by someone pointing their finger around, they could use deadly force. It's a law that needs to go away!

[dogwood912]

Scary, I was near that very intersection, saw that same wood carver, actually gave him a loaf of sourdough bread, just days later he was killed.

[YeeeahhhBudddyy]

he shot 5 times, at an old man.

THEY KNOW WHERE TO FUCKING SHOOT SO THAT THEY ONLY WOUND THEM.

Crime in seattle is not that horrible.

That officer should be in a mental torture for the rest of his life.

[Palindromey]

I hate power-tripped people.

[KaylaMarieAbbott]

 This makes me sick!!! :(

[22hellman22]

sick country america is

[Dec24th]

And the cop got away with murder.

[paulfromdonmills]

Thank GOD we have civilian oversight where I live..freaking COWBOYS shoot a man down for WHAT..?.

[GREGSGUNSONLINE]

NO ONE`S LIFE WAS IN DANGER, OFFICER DOES NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO USE EXCESSIVE FORCE, DO YOU NEED A PERMIT TO HAVE A KNIFE IN SEATTLE ?? AND IF SO WHY DIDNT THE OFFICER ASK FOR IT?

[1967anthonyw]

I think that this is the the prime example of our police and "supposed" law and order.

This cop went all Dirty Harry on this guy poor DEAF guy just carving something out of wood.

The police motto these days is: "To serve tickets and protect the guilty"

This cop should have been treated as he really is.. a common criminal and tried for murder.

Shame on the Seattle Police Dept and shame on the legal system in Washington State.

[fmontgomeryrn]

@1967anthonyw amen to that

[shawn68able]

it's just the second coming, of the same old cavalry ! i'm usually supportive of law enforcement, but this guy really "shit the bed" on this one !

[eperfection1]

6 seconds??? I want this cops head on a platter!!!

[aafillon]

Nothing has changed. Here we have another dumbass cowboy shooting and killing peaceful Native Americans. Fucking really?

[ultimatemetalfreak]

Cold Blooded Murder.

[MrNoobtuber509]

dam 7 bullets vs 1 knife wow thats not justice

[cristo749]

The man looked as if he just purchased from the store and was walking home, the cop attecked him why didnt he tazer instead of shoot thats UNCONSTITUTIONAL.

[maumon086]

I condemn the Mayor of Seattle for not supporting his officer... shame on you!

[MrReecesPieces]

After a police officer has been through many encounters with deadly criminals and they are thinking of some encounters where they should have used deadly force, do they have an innate desire to use deadly force?

[CallingCrowe]

@MrReecesPieces: In the words of a certain police officer I'm related to: "All cops are itching for an excuse to use their sidearms."

[Xiber1]

This bastard got away with murder, he should be given street justice

[BCsongs]

4:14 "You did the right thing"

No you didn't, stop reinforcing this type of behavior.

[SnipeYourCheese]

Actuall y the native was a canadian from vancouver island

[greg0879]

The cop said he turned around with the knife open when he shot him. The witnesses and the bullet entry say different. I'm sure they will drag this trial out forever, though it should only have taken a week to conclude this officer murdered this man by using deadly force when it wasn't called for.

[rmzalbar]

I like the comments discussing how the officer could have made better choices on the number and placement of bullets, i.e. "if you're not sure he's a bad guy, only shoot him a couple times."

[rmzalbar]

What I can't believe is how we've let these deaf woodcarvers rule the streets for so long. Britain put a stop to that business decades ago.

[008basher]

that was 6 days after my b-day? and thats what i wished 4.jk but my b_day was 6 days earlier

[lonewolf379th]

I noticed that the officer's car was positioned so its dash-cam wasn't viewing what he was seeing; plus, said officer was not in a hurry, IMHO, this officer may have stalked this individual. Said officer will have stand before God; just 'cause he's white - don't make him right.

[vherring67]

And life moves on....Trigger Gun Happy man goes back to work and is given the ok to shoot again. Better to shoot a 75 yr old man in the back four times... that way they can't see what a Fu#%'n Idiot you are. Have mercy on your soul.

[lastpatriot4America]

What a dick head. Is this where we are in this fucking country. Where were the outraged citizens ? Where is the lynching mob to hang this trigger happy punk pig.You dont listen to me I can shoot you. Is that what they teach pigs now ?

[raymond2172]

the woman walking is the witness what really happen that time..

[reingardl]

The guy pulled a knife and went at the cop. He deserved it. Who cares if he was deaf? You know better than to go at a cop with a knife or to walk around with one like an idiot in the first place.

[Bshow1212]

@reingardl You obviously don't know anything about this story, so let me try to summarize it for you. John T. Williams is a woodcarver and since your eyes don't work as well as your mouth I'll let you know that he was walking and carving a piece of wood, which you can see in the beginning of the video if you weren't such a bigot jumping to conclusions. He didn't come at the cop, he was walking and carving, deaf and minding his own business and gets shot in the back, truly deserved my ass.

[vherring67]

@reingardl 75 yr old native guy got shot in the back four times. In today's world you have to protect yourself from the cops. Video tape all of it and report them. Cops protect cops case closed.

[missalo87]

How can you said that he did the right thing... What happen to warning the person that you will shoot if he doesn't drop the knife.

[Amanuel206]

this was a hit, but most are too stupid to notice this, get enough white folks to call the police on you for being a nuisance, BANG!! your dead. a folded legal 3 inch blade tucked in his hand and the officer comes out of the car gun drawn, obvious he's executing the commands of the sergeants which where to find a reason to get rid of JOHN T WILLIAMS.

[haapalaaa]

fuck you SPD

[eazymoney710]

police are proud of that badge to kill couldnt use tazer?

[FloppyBaby]

@eazymoney710 Tasers are only for the elderly and children. 18-55, you're getting shot in the head.

[MaGxProDucTioNz]

SHUT THE FUCK UP NERDS. READ UP ON THE STORY BEFORE SAYING THAT THE COP WAS BAD, HE OBVIOUSLY IGNORED AND PULLED A KNIFE, STUPID FUCKING KIDS.

[xmoroseguyx]

@MaGxProDucTioNz Pulled a knife? He already was holding it when the cop was in the car, We know ( Although it`s off screen ) That he shot him in the back, What I do find odd, Is the the cop totally ignore`s the piece of wood he`s clearly working on as he passes by the front of the jam sandwich, Also I hear witness statements, Say they were a good twenty feet from each other when he shot him, So he`s 20 ft away, Facing backwards? Don`t look good for the cop, Unlawful killing or murder?

[rea1001]

@MaGxProDucTioNz Are you retarded? The City already settled. Since you are retarded I will explain what that means to you. Whenever a City settles in a Case like this, it means they will not win in Court, and have been advised by the DA to settle out of Court because of the evidence against them. They do this to save face, for a Guilty verdict would cause alot of 'Political" problems that will hurt reelections of the Chief, and other 'figures' in the City Government. Retard. Shill. Pig.

[Ollied]

Took him 6 seconds from saying the 1st 'put the knife down' to shooting the suspect, this is shocking, I am not an American citizen and i am glad of that, the police over there are brutal and trigger happy, something needs to be done about the rights in which the police have in your country

[wanderdworld]

We know fire rages so we keep it under control. We know vicious animals attack so we put them in cages. But if your a wood carver with an addiction and an attitude we will shoot you dead in the street. This officer is a murderer. That woman's testimony will not doubt show that. Rotten fucking egg make all these officers look bad!

[wanderdworld]

Shots fired: subject wouldn't drop the knife.NOT: He's attacking an innocent civilian. NOT: He's coming at me.If they already know he is just an old lush who likes to carve wood with a little pocket knife. No harm in this Andy Taylor. Then why pursue him? If this officer had prior contact with him and information from his constituents on this mans demeanor. Then he aggravated this situation intentionally just to shoot this man. We know fire burns and lions bite, we stay away!

[moneyshot129]

Chicken Shit move by the pig, he could of taken that old man apart with his bare hands. He's got tasers and mace he didn't have to shoot the guy. And the other pigs told him he did the right thing!

[3leftstotheright]

@moneyshot129 Just so you know, that ignorance is bliss until you are called out. The cop didn't have a taser, and about the mace I am not willing to say, because I don't know. But there is A LOT THAT goes into a split second decision. The cop didn't do the right thing, but put yourself in that situation. Do you think he wanted to kill someone that day? Lose his job? Live with the guilt for the rest of his life? OR could it possibly be that he was worried he wouldn't make it home that night?

[holymcshizlet]

@3leftstotheright weather he wants to or not that was a big error, and a cop who had a "badday" or was "nervous" is not acceptable. your a cop right? or someone close to you huh? don't try to justify this, a murder is still just that. A murder.

[holymcshizlet]

@3leftstotheright weather he wants to or not that was a big error, and a cop who had a "bad day" or was "nervous" is not acceptable. your a cop right? or someone close to you huh? don't try to justify this, a murder is still just that. A murder.

[sbunford1]

Why is it that the city of Seattle time and again allow their police force to operate outside the law? A man with a screw driver shot from almost a block away. A pedestrian run down in a cross walk by an officer with no lights responding to a call, witnesses were told to go home when they offered statements. Officers climbing through car windows to remove the keys causing the driver to panic then shooting them. In all these cases the officers received no punishment.

[Pavor4u]

It's not enough the police officer was forced to resign. I'm reading that the City of Seattle is paying $1.5 million to his survivors. The CITY is liabile vicariously however why does it end there? I do not understand how a man could operate outside the departments guidelines and not be held personally responsible. If he operated within the guidelines he would be immune but he didnt. Sue that pos!

[knight43]

@Pavor4u I meant hiding their true colors.

[DXMagician411]

am I the only one that finds 2:28-2:31 extremely disturbing...

[BANANADAIQURI]

@DXMagician411 I have reviewed that segment of the video several times,and still I am not sure what I'm looking for.What is that you got?

[filmtress]

A typical boring day where a cop creates excitement for himself. Look at all the cops rush to the scene. Then they implement their tactics and procedures. Now the idiot can claim he faced down a murdering raging madman! Now he has something to discuss over lunch with his comrades. Murdering piece of dirt!

[andrewc206]

This is what a TASER and MACE are for.

[tacomadavid68]

In the fist version the cop is listening to sports radio. I wonder how they removed that part.

[innerspace55]

Ian Birk is a marked man.

[MsWorstnitemare]

People that defend this nonsense are a spineless waste of humanity. This cop should get the death sentence & the very fact that he is not getting butt fucked daily in prison shows that we have a serious problem with our legal system. These spineless examples of "law enforcement" are a waste of tax payer's money. They don't care about real crime. Only this chicken shit stuff. What a bunch of pansies! Welcome to Nazi America!

[BustedRecruit]

He should have put the knife down I guess

[Pavor4u]

nah, it was a carvers knife and he wasnt go after the cop either....that's why the cop was fired and the city of seattle sent apologies to the family along with a cheque for $1.5 million. If you dont understand then you never will. The guy was on the job for only a few months before he was fired....my question is; why didnt they realize they had an unfit candidate in uniform before they gave him his gun and badge? Why wait until he kills people?

[knight43]

@Pavor4u Because people are good at wearing masks or showing their true colors. This asshole officer played the game, passed all tests, probably rigged the psycological test to make it that he's withing normal range. Then when he passes academy, OH BOY! I FINALLY GOT MY AUTHORITY! WOOHOO! LOOKOUT SUCKERS, I FOOLED THE WORLD! Its a shame. There are many out there too. LOL I ROFL about the statement his lawyer made that the ex-cop is in emotional distress cuz the citizens are against him. WTF?!

[BustedRecruit]

I like how that girl was all "what the hell?... oh" and just keeps trucking along

[alphamania24]

@fatbudz420 The city of Seattle called it an unjustified shooting, so if you're trying to blame the higher ups in the city, it'll get you nowhere. This was wrong, and nobody, not even the Seattle government or the officer himself agrees with it.

[fatbudz420]

They let this piece of shit cop off the hook.  this cop is a MURDERER.

Fuck that cop and the rest of them who support this as a "justified shooting"

BS.

[schlubber215]

It happened just as I said it would. The Seattle police department has staged a violent riot with their own agent provacateurs. A group of twenty five police officers dressed in black with their faces covered with bandanas posed as rioters and created mayhem in an attempt to turn the public against the jail Brk movement. Such crime has been admitted in Denver, Totonto, Baltimore and other police departments after the cops got caught doing it. See video Canadian Police - Agents Provocateurs

[spencerj2006]

he did NOT have a taser, and he should have. but alot of people who are mad about this would have done the same thing, and they dont understand what the officer was going through, so they need to just understand thatin some ways he did the right thing, im not saying it is a justified shooting, but i am saying, put yourself in this officers shoes, what would YOU have done

[rltribou]

@spencerj2006 would not have shot an old man. natural for a person to turn around when spoken too. He never identified himself as police. when some yells at YOU telling you to do something what would YOU do. Yes I know turn around to see what they want and get shot because the man yelling is an untrained cop!

[Pavor4u]

speaking as a former soldier.....there are guys who are hot heads and then there are guys who are cool under

preasure. the hot heads only reach for weapons and lack situtational awareness. they are the guys you read about who stun 11 yr old kids or pensioners in hospital beds....those are the guys who slipped through the cracks. i can tell you first hand that even cops are aware who the hot heads are and dont want to be teamed up with them. thankfully there are only a few.

[Pavor4u]

...in the above case, the police department wasted no time and demanded his resignation. the guy was only hired

a few months before this shooting. 99.9% of cops will not fire their weapons in the course of their careers. This guy shot and killed a man only a few months in....he's got no sympathy from other officers either. The guy is on his own.

[INFOWARforYourMind]

Keeping the streets safe for ????????????

What a piece of shit!

[catrapesdog99]

fucking pig should loose his job. and go to prison 

[mattcep]

damn atleast coulda just taser him

[virginiaoldfield]

This killing wasn't justified under the circumstances but there is something interesting mentioned only briefly in the news; the man had drunkenly threatened people on the street with a knife in the past. It could be the police knew him well and this officer's perception of things were colored by prior knowledge of the woodcarver. Not professional or acceptable but more likely than him being some jackbooted thug just itching to kill like some people think. In any case he should NOT be a cop!

[mrzergmrzergmrzerg]

GOOD JOB officer!!!!

The world will NOT miss another crazy individual walking the streets with their knife.

[ben5017]

BOYCOTT SEATTLE ... THIS IS CLEAR MURDER!



[dacreeguy]

First of all... why weren't non-lethal actions taken? Taser? Gunshot to the leg? And now worst of all... no charges are gonna be laid? This is Bullshit!!!!! CLEAR AND UTTER BULLSHIT!!!!! I'm willing to be if the woodcarver was white... no shooting would have taken place

[kcrabtree05]

Why are they asking the asshole if he's ok? He wasn't shot several times dead was he? I'm sickened...

[imamanna]

Thats why we have the court systems is so idiots dont put the wrong people in jail.

[imamanna]

schlubber215 Ur the idiot. You would be the first to cry that you would want revenge for the death of someone close to you. Being in a deadly force situation you know nothing about yet. Not at any time did I state that someone had a loss of life you idiot. You have to look at the totality of the circumstances. Youre judgement is too cloudy to see that though.

[schlubber215]

imamanna is a moron. Which proves that he's a cop. But you can tell that he's been trained to twist the truth. Can you see how this maniac behind a badge, who proudly claims to have shot five people, said that "it is illigal to brandish a knife in any manor threating to a officers or civilians". ? A Deceptive cop to be sure. As anyone can see, Mr. Williams was walking peacefully down the street and not threatening anyone. imamanna is a moronic, lying, maniac, scumbag criminal behind a badge.

[1980prankster]

@melon714

[1980prankster]

Melon714, if u have an email address I'll send u a short story I wrote about some of my experiences! I really do want to change this flawed system! I once had dreams of working for Internal Affairs! Until I found out I'd have to work as a actual cop before I could be internal affairs!

[grrrstick]

And police wonder why my generation despises them. This guy will be put on desk duty and get his pension when he retires when he should be in a maximum security hole the rest of his life.

[1980prankster]

Throat! He said he'd return after it was removed but never did! Never returned my calls either! All I got was a $100,000 hospital bill! But these pigs will arrest me for DUI wen I'm not even near my car! And the courts will pursue charges!! Liberty and justice for all my a#s!! I have many more Seattle / King County police mistreatment stories if anybodys interested!

[1980prankster]

The object at 2:23 is a seagull flying by! Common bird in Seattle! I have always believed in give respect to get it! I always used to respect cops but these cops in Seattle think they are superior beings!! Wen I was 17, I was cuffed and beaten by a SPD pig! Wen I was 24 I was shot as an innocent bystander outside a nightclub, a Seattle detective came to see me in the hospital but became frustrated after the first question because I had to write my answers due to the breathing tube down my throa

[thexalon]

Some things I picked up here:

1. Officer Birk may not have even been justified in ordering Williams to stop - police need reasonable suspicion to detain someone.

2. Notice that Birk has his weapon out as soon as he steps out of his car, long before Williams has done anything other than walk across a street.

3. I doubt police were trained to move towards people threatening them with knives. Ergo, Williams wasn't threatening Birk.

[splatterviz]

Congratu;ations Officer Birk! Two years on the force and you finally got to "neutralize" someone.

This is disgusting. Jackbooted thug cop needs to be locked up for a long time. I'd rather have a hundred drunk old men with pocket knives wandering around than one "police state" robot like this cop...way to protect and serve the public.

[imamanna]

golfmaniac007 How long have u been working in the legal system? I have for six years. I havve had five justified shootings in those years. Work on my side and you will see.

[imamanna]

Find out if he was prosicuted. Then let me know something.

[ErictheACKACKTOR]

Extraordinary footage, we could see the actually shooting vic in the crosswalk only seconds before being dispatched by the Seattle police officer. 

[92brandonb]

that guy shouldnt of died that day

[imamanna]

If you are not in law enforcement you will not understand. It is illigal to brandish a knife in any manor threating to a officers or civilians. He followed procedures. Damn liberals. Do that in texas and watch how bad things can get for you.

[golfmaniac007]

@imamanna did you see the video? who was approaching who? 7 seconds given to respond to yelling from a stranger from the back side when your hard of hearing in middle of heavy traffic noise? do you have any logic of piecing together the order of events and circumstances? this video says it all. this pig is deserves severe punishment for his wreckless action

[schlubber215]

@imamanna You're a cop who's had five justified shootings? You're disgusting. Justified shooting: When a cop murders someone in cold blood and has his fellow cops cover up the crime, has his supervisors place him on a paid vacation, then stage a sham investigation to make it appear as if justice was served. Police Procedures: When a cop commits crimes while simultaneously erasing any evidence which implicate himself while concocting a false story to confuse any non-police investigation.

[beaverbox]

i take it the police in that state don't carry pepper spray or tasers ( that must be to expensive ) 5 shots from a gun is cheeper

people please wake up you are all guilty til proven innocent it a shoot first ask questions 2nd and the police get away with murder because that what it is

[kambelzful]

@beaverbox cops aren't allowed to use spray or tasers in those situations with knives involved.

[beaverbox]

@kambelzful in what situations ??

the guy was just walking along not posing a fret to anyone and the officer got out the car with his gun in hand and by the cops manner there was only going to by one out come DEATH

also have you seen the report on the guy watering his garden with a hose pipe and the police shot him twice in the head for hold a dangers hose pipe

[kambelzful]

@beaverbox they aren't my rules. no need to freak out on me and give me a rant. just saying the facts that the police dept. said. Not that i agree with them.

[beaverbox]

@kambelzful sorry i did not won't to come across as ranting at you i just wanted to know ( what situation ? )

The guy was know fret to anyone

If there's no fret there's no situation the guy was just walking along minding his own

sorry again ( peace )

[kambelzful]

@beaverbox yeah, actually they don't recommend a taser or oc spray when there is a suspect with a gun, because a knife is considered a "deadly weapon". From 10 feet away a knife can become deadly in 2 seconds. A person can lunge at another person really quickly with a knife and apparently the officer had felt threatened because John T Williams had "lunged" at him. That was proven a lie because the knife was closed at the scene and he was not facing the officer when he was shot.

[skirton22s]

FUCK THE POLICE

[noggerthon]

5 shots. into a woodcarver... Gotta love the police.

[jeremyelliott1]

This cop deserves the death sentence.

[eklur]

@jeremyelliott1

All cops deserve the death sentence.

[rea1001]

@jeremyelliott1 That is too nice a punishment. Im thinking more of an Asian style of punishment. Old school.

[philacoudre]

"A good cop is a dead cop." - quote from a movie I saw...

[scottytnt]

The cop walks up with his gun out ready to shoot and states he was carving a piece of wood at 3:40, and just because he had it open and didn’t put it down he shot him? Then the cops say "we will shoot him again if need be" @ 2:30. You would think with all the cops around, shooting again would not be necessary. He is very calm for what just happened. But that’s what Seattle does. And near the end, they take his mic away! Are they afraid he will incriminate himself?

[cibersonics]

min 2:23, holly shit is that an ovni, if it is why no one said anything about this, at the beging of the video apear a bird on the top but it is not a shoper or a bird, its impresive

[tina1000able]

i think this disgusting ,he shoulnt have shot the guy ,he couldnt hear him say put the knife down ,he is disabled,he is deaf ,the copper pig should have approached this poor man in a different way ,no instead he opened fire and shot him dead ,pig you will pay the price for this unnesscary act ,this goes to show that with a badge they think they can control your every move R,I.P. DONT WORRY THE PUBLIC WILL TAKE CARE OF THIS TRIGGER-HAPPY PIG

[DXMagician411]

@tina1000able umm..it's been 6 months now... no one has shot that POS in the back yet....don't think the publics takin care of anything

[008basher]

@tina1000able its not trigger happy when they have a knife wont poot it down and u have no idea that there diabled idiots.what would u have done

[lemmyliquor]

@008basher Back up if he was so close.... then fire 1 round into the suspects lower body and continue to back up. 4 rounds in 3 seconds for a folding knife...? Cop seems like a paranoid liability and a bit of a pussy. I hear the fear in his voice and its not the fear of a victim its the fear of the guilty. He knew immediately he fucked up... I could hear it.

[008basher]

@lemmyliquor the thing is if he just fired 1 round he might have wounded the person and hen the person would still probly die but he would have sufered but i do agree with u on what u said it is a little to much

[BCsongs]

@008basher I don't expect much from someone who spells "put" "poot" but if I were there and this happened, considering I'm not a psychotic trigger happy murderer I'd say I probably wouldn't immediately put 5 in the dudes chest. Just sayin.

[008basher]

@BCsongs hey the comment was posted a while ago i do agree he did shoot a little quieck but stillthis is what cops r trained 4 cop should get some blame but mostly blame department training

[ultimatemetalfreak]

@008basher A little quick? He gave him a second to react! He was not acting violently at all. there was zero justification for this murder.

[pravicpu]

its a known fact that both the Government and Police don't care the life of Native americans at all. poor man and his family. This is what happens when immature recruits happens in police

[StargodArbiter]

Seattle cop kills someone under shady circumstances? Gee, big surprise there...

[thatsmysherman]

Well why would anyone in this day and age walk around with an open knife? Yea the officer was wrong for shooting to kill. He should have used a stun gun or something.

[dem0n1k]

@thatsmysherman to carve stuff? cut stuff? the usual reasons people need knives. is it not legal to carry an open pocket knife in public in seatle? unjustified killing imo.

[huckteeper]

@thatsmysherman The knife was street-legal, so using a stun gun constituted assault. What needs to happen is for police to be recruited from a pool of people with an IQ of over 80.

[batfly]

@huckteeper You hit the nail on the head... unfortunately people with above average IQ will get bored being a Cop.