On October 30, 2025, a fatal police shooting took place near 5th Ave S. and S. Holgate St. in Seattle. The incident started around 4:15 p.m. when Seattle Police Department officers responded to a report of a man with an axe. Officers tried to communicate with the man and used non-lethal methods during the encounter.
The situation escalated when the man showed a firearm. Multiple officers then fired their handguns. Officers and Seattle Fire Department personnel provided medical aid, but the man died at the scene.
After the Seattle Police Department left the Federal Consent Decree in September 2025, Washington State law began requiring independent investigations of deadly force incidents. The King County Sheriff’s Office, with help from the Washington State Patrol, is leading the investigation. Specialized units and forensic teams are assisting…