Man shot by Seattle police dies
SEATTLE -- The man shot by police officers during a domestic-violence situation Tuesday night in Greenwood has died of his injuries, according to the Seattle Police Department. He had a history of mental illness and was previously convicted of attempting to rape a jogger in Carkeek Park near where he was fatally shot.
Police were called to a house in the 10100 block of Fourth Avenue Northwest where 21-year-old Jack Keewatinawin was allegedly holding his father hostage at knife point.
According to police, Keewatinawin fled after being hit with a Taser and officers chased him to where he was hiding behind a car.
"As officers were approaching, he reached in like he was grabbing for something," SPD's Mark Jamieson said. "Officers did not know if he had a weapon. He came out with a very large piece of metal, which he raised above his head toward the officers. At that point officers were forced to fire their duty weapons, and the man was struck."
Keewatinawin later died of his injuries at Harborview. The three officers involved in the shooting are on administrative leave, as is standard practice for SPD.
Jack Keewatinawin
Keewatinawin had a history of mental illness, including schizophrenia, and was a convicted level II sex offender. At the time of the shooting, he had a warrant out for him for failing to report to the Department of Corrections, according to documents.
In 2011, Keewatinawin attacked a jogger in Carkeek Park with the intent of raping her. She was able to fight him off and call 911.
Following the attack, Keewatinawin called police himself and admitted to the attack, saying he was high and thought the woman was a "marijuana goddess."
Officers traced the call to Keewatinawin and he was arrested and later convicted.
This was the second officer-involved shooting in Seattle this year. The first took place at the Twilight Exit in January.
cop slips and falls = mentally ill guy dies?
Without the article stating how big he was, but from the looks of the head shot they posted he looks like he might have been plus size to say the least and then him being high and with mental problems. I would say the cops were darn lucky that none of them got hurt by this guy.Â
When I got to the part of the article where it talks about him being accused of trying to rape a jogger, a trojan vibrator advertisement started to display on this page. Awkward komo...awkward.
@grasshopper_21 you do know that the ads are triggered by your browsing habits, right. Mine, for example, is a Cabellas ad. IF your ad was for Trojan Vibrating condoms, something in your browser history made that connection.....
Did they go into his hospital room and inject him with something, or did the make the doctors do it "this man is not to live, understood?"Â
@sunnysandiego
Remember Ian Birk? Ian Birk was found not-guility by an 8 member Jury.
Even the ACLU is against cameras on a polices officers body. Police interview, sexual assault victims, including children, do you think a victim or a witness will want to come forward or be interviewed at the scene with a camera recording? No says the majority of police, the ACLU and anyone with a brain.Â
@Sam Maley @sunnysandiego It is unfortunate but the cops are wearing the cameras to protect them selves from lies, half truths and false accusations from people they arrest. We have seen it on those cop shows where a female was lying like a trooper that the cop and molested her right on camera. One nice thing is if you talk to a cop and he has one of these camera's your words can not be twisted either.
@Sam Maley  And he was wrongly persecuted by the local media. "Tried by the media" should not happen, yet it does every day here. I could never do that job.
@Sam Maley @sunnysandiego , Yeah, enough of this complete surveillance society. It's like something out of a bad science fiction movie. Protecting convicted sex offenders shouldn't be high on our list of priorities.
funny how quickly people come in here and defend the police even knowing the history of this department (remember Ian Birk???)
I wish police officers were required to use camera's on them at all times to ensure they were accountable. Â But that would require they perform their jobs in an honest fashion so that won't be happening too soon.
@sunnysandiegoFunny how quickly people come in here and attack the police without even knowing what happened. Citing the Ian Burke case as if if he was a typical example of the more than 1,200 officers on the street is ridiculous.
@StringerJoe @sunnysandiego If he were your brother or son you would feel differently
@sunnysandiegoÂ
@sunnysandiego If it were your brother, father, son being held at knifepoint, what would you want done? If if were you who was threatened by a person with a piece of metal, raised above his head, what would you want done?Â
If this guy had been MY brother, I would have saw to it that he got the help he needed before it came to this. Do you REALLY think the cops enjoyed taking a life?  Oh, never mind. I think I know the answer, as you seem to consistently question any police action
@sunnysandiego @StringerJoe Amen, brother. I am glad I wasn't related to this sex offender.
@sunnysandiego They were responding to a 911 call that said he was holding his father hostage with a knife to his throat. Mentally ill people have amazing strength when they are in a psychotic break. Sorry but I don't feel the police were wrong under these circumstances.
@Blevnangels @sunnysandiego HMM THE NEWS IS LIES.. MY GRANDPA WASNT NOT BEING HELP HOSTAGE.
@LOUNORTHWINDÂ Really? So why were the police called? Why did he have the confrontation with police? Please explain!
@LOUNORTHWIND @Blevnangels @sunnysandiego Who made the 911 call and why?
@sunnysandiego thank you!
@LOUNORTHWIND @sunnysandiego Sorry for your loss.
What scares me the most is how many people just accept the police version of what happens in these situations when we know first hand how much they lie to support their own best interests.
There are many examples to support this and Ian Birk is a perfect example. Â Had the video not been rolling showing us the truth, the police "report" would have indicated Mr. Williams was approaching the officer in a threatening manner which resulted in the officer using force. Â We know of course that did not happen thanks to the video which though vindicating Mr. Williams will not bring him back. Â And the officer, he was fired. Â A man losses his life and this officer lost his job. Â That is what I call a bastardization of justice.
But the sheep in here will continue to do what sheep do. Â Sadly.
@sunnysandiego  Hhhmmm, as I recall, all the video showed was Ian Birke walking in front of his patrol car, toward Williams. It didn't show how Williams came at Birke. Birke was tried by the media and people like you jumped on the bandwagon against the police, because it's the in vogue thing to do. Who's the sheep sunny? Take a look in the mirror and you'll see a shining example.
This is another casualty of politicians dismantling the mental health infrastructure and making the cops the font line in dealing with the mentally ill. The public never hears about the incidents where the police are successful in actually helping someone but certainly hears about incidents that end like this. Thank the politicians who hate their fellow Americans.Â
@Citizen#3457899654
In Seattle and King County, they are ALL your kind of politicians.Â
Yep, the most dysfunctional place North of California.
No sympathy for this zombie. He got what he asked for.
HEY IDIOT! THAT WAS MY UNCLE.. HE WAS NOT KEEPING MY GRANDFATHER HOSTAGE.. HOW WOULD YOU FEEL IF YOUR CHILD WAS SHOT 9 TIMES RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOUR FACE, HUH?
IT WOULDN'T FEEL GOOD. SPD JUST LOVVES SHOOTING NATIVE AMERICANS.THIS IS JUST SAD.. HE HAD A PIECE OF METAL.. PLEASE ENLIGHTEN ME ON HOW THAT WOULD KILL SOMETHING.. SO SAD! WE WILL GET JUSTICE. - See more at: http://www.kirotv.com/news/news/metal-welding-man-shot-multiple-times-officers/nWbf5/#sthash.LeXdD0ME.dpuf
@LOUNORTHWIND I am so sorry for your families loss. I knew Jack really well, he shouldn't have been killed, and definatly not shot by three cops. I think the Seattle police department is ill equipped to deal with native americans, old west all over :( Again, Jack will be sorely missed..
@LOUNORTHWINDÂ Uncle Henry from what I understand is suffering from cancer to boot. I feel awful he had to endure and see that. It goes to show that the police are not qualified to deal with mentally ill people.Â
@LOUNORTHWIND we know you're hurting but between the CAPS, ignorance, misguided anger, threats and the asinine line regarding your perceived lack of threat from a "piece of metal" is doing nothing for your cause and frankly has some wondering if they didn't shoot the wrong guy.
@LOUNORTHWIND Domestic violence calls are probably the most dangerous scenarios for responding cops. Someone obviously thought there was a dangerous situation developing so they called 9-1-1. It wasn't the first time this sex offender was arrested.
@LOUNORTHWINDÂ Sorry for your loss but, visit harborview ER on a weekend. The "Piece of metal" is very deadly. The PSI of a 1" piece of metal swung at a skull it tremendous and enough to easily kill. Then you add a Psychotic individual who has very little control of his emotions and actions and you have someone very able to kill with that piece of metal. Having worked at Harborview and in acute Mental Health, I do have a bit of insight here. I have seen what can happen. Again, its a sad day to lose family to psychosis but, he could easily have killed one of the officers with any object while violently psychotic.
Having worked with Duel Diagonsis clients in Mental health aka Mentally ill individuals with a substance abuse problem. They are very unpredictable. A person with schizophrenia is difficult enough when off their medications, then add drugs to the mix. Well if they have violent tendencies then this scenario is always a likely probablility.
Due to the lack of supervision by the state and inability of families to enforce taking medications and controlling drug and or alcohol abuse these individuals are left to their own devices. It really is sad.
well, everything people has being changed other source has given werong address and now when I ssaw his picture.. well I can tell you he was very quiet, smoking a lot marijuana ...lots girls.. at middle of the night screaming each other where I called the police on them because is not his father is his grandfather who he is a very quiet person ..nothig to say about him..but I had many things concerned about him because he was a lot around those little african american where their parents were? but as they said they do not like anybody to tell them about their kids. and I kknw that he was a trouble maker as soon they move in almost two years ago but.. landlord do not care any issues only money.. SIP know who am I talking about it... what police did it was just their job protecting others and mentally illness is a huge issues and their love one are the one who lost in real life.. sorry for you lost.. rest in peace... SIP just respond it whom ever call for help...and they save a old man who is not able to walk alone... sorry rest inpeace\
This comment has been deleted
@LOUNORTHWINDÂ @techy You're out of control and you need to stop now.
@techy What?  I can't understand anything you are trying to say.
@techy Are you high?
So here's what at least feels like an interesting question, I admit to being a bit surprised for many years now, doesn't seem to have been asked before. Â At least not to the right leadership and influencers, media, to best drive answers. Â It certainly has never become part of the public debate. Â Ever.
In Britain the police do not carry guns, but instead they are specially issued and only to certain, highly selected members of the force, after extensive training and only in specific circumstances. Â Otherwise, those guns are kept under centralized lock and key. Â
Meanwhile, for some crazy reason, the percentage of our population we have in prisons, is more than any country in the world, while our levels of violent crime seems to be one of the highest and certainly, the incidents of police shootings seeing what they are trained to do when threatened, often resulting in "yet another police shooting statistic..."
And it is exceedingly rare that a British policeman gets killed in the line of duty, let alone a shooting. Why is that?
Simply, it seems like it might be an interesting and perhaps even helpful exercise, to compare and contrast how other countries are doing and what is different, recognizing that we are not the same countries, of course. Â Perhaps there is still a chance nonetheless, that we could learn something from others. Â I know that is hard to believe (sarcasm) but given the way things currently work seem to...or arguably surely must, offer opportunities for improvement, are we completely confident the experience of others elsewhere might not help shed even a little bit of light on some creative, out of the box solutions?
And consider this: the average person has no idea whatever that the statistical odds of a policeman dying while on the job, is overwhelming from a car accident that happens while they are simply driving, like anyone else; not even chasing anyone! Â The odds they will die from being shot is a remarkably low probability. Â Guaranteed that most members of the public think otherwise! Â
Don't forget also that all the media coverage and attendance of often seemingly countless colleagues for a "fallen hero," more often includes their having died like anyone else, of cancer or heart disease. They just happened to be a policeman. Â However, far too often the media coverage on many such fallen heroes memorials, never calls this fact out. Â
There are so many ways our society is "unwittingly disinformed.".Â
Put another way, "who does it serve to drive our society into having a siege mentality?!". Â Follow the money both in the private sector but also public and trades/ unions groups/ lobbying sectors and also media (excitement sells papers!)...and you can often start figuring out where the, hopefully "unwitting" dis-information comes from. Â
Hollywood and the Entertainment Industry should take bows also; perhaps they should look at the popularity here in America and globally now, of a slew of British created shows like the Idol series and others, that do not glorify violence and the hunt for offenders. Â Then there's gaming, too. Â No I am not suggesting regulations but perhaps industry groups could themselves step up and take some responsibility and try to help with new programming. Â Think about that word; programming!
Sent from my iPad
@TruthHonor ---We're all on the Ship of Fools.....no getting off now.
Just another example of a failed mental health system. If you're going to ignore people with serious mental health problems society is going to pay a price. And its basically impossible to get help for anyone until they have committed a criminal act and even then there's hardly any professional help available.
What I like about your comment: You didn't automatically blame the police department. Kudos to you.Â
@refinneJÂ Oh I blame the cops too. It was just one guy with a piece of metal in his hand. Almost anyone could have disarmed him, he didn't need to be shot. If cops are this poorly trained they should not be allowed to carry weapons.
As someone who has been in public safety my entire career, first as a cop now an EMT, Schizophrenia and Mental Illness in general can be very dangerous. It is easy to judge when you are sitting safely behind a computer screen. What is not so easy is being thrust into this situation. Mental Illness can cause "normal" people to act irrationally. It can cause them to be violent towards themselves, us as responders, or the general public.Â
Then general public doesn't know just how dangerous these people can be. I wish there was a simple answer. If I knew it I would probably be rich.Â
What people need to do is recognize that Mental Illness can be dangerous. If you have a family member who has a Mental Illness get them help. Monitor their medications. Don't cast them aside to let others deal with - otherwise this happens.
@seattleemtIf you have a family member who has a Mental Illness get them help. Â If it only were that easy. Â The mentally ill can get help only after the fact -- after they harm themselves or others -- which is more often than not too late. Â This case is the perfect example. Â Sure, you might get them committed for 48 hours but beyond that there is little caring family members can do besides sit and watch the slow car wreck unfold. Â It's indescribably painful to witness.
@NWNative @seattleemt Because the mentally ill have the right to refuse medication and to refuse treatment even when court committed to an institution. Get the laws changed.
@seattleemt I would like to thank you for your service and commitment to the public. You do not have an easy job and I appreciate the work you do.Â
You make an excellent point, but what do you do when those that need treatment refuse it, or deny their need of help, or even worse cannot afford the medications and treatment they need to function....... I would even venture that pushing some of these people become violent when approached on the subject...... It seems a vicious circle.
"...a history of mental illness..."
2nd time today. How many is it going to take?
The biggest tragedy I see in this whole situation is this guy was diagnosed with schizophrenia and was unable/unwilling to get the mental assistance he needed. Many are blaming the cops for shooting an (by most logical accounts) obvious threat. With his history it would appear to me that it was just a matter of when something like this was going to occur. I just wish somehow, someway, sometime we (our country) will focus on the issues and quit focusing on inert items that are not the real problems.
@aintno1special sorry to dissapoint you he had being receiving help the problem is when they are with someone who can be violent or threat them... they do not want to take their medicine even an army tank iit is waiting outside for him... so mentally illeness is a huge issues to our society..... dearly his grandfather dearly love him..but he was his grandson he was a mentally illness person who was not supposed to be near or close to people it is unsafe... they must be an special group home where they are control by doctors and nurses.. etc.. r.i/p.
You said the magic words: Unable/Unwilling.
We need to change that.
@Throbbinhood I could not agree more...yet the administration and NRA are wasting all this time, energy, and money on a battle over guns...that regardless of the outcome will do nothing to stop this type of thing from happening.
@aintno1special @Central @ThrobbinhoodÂ
I agree with you on the AR ban. I always thought that was more of a red herring. But I would like to see more discussion about how to make background checks mandatory ANYTIME a gun changes hands. And I would especially like to see more discussion about how to reduce the number of cases where someone leaves a gun out in the open and a kid takes it to school. It seems we're not willing to do anything about preventing this unless the kid actually kills or injures somebody.
@Central @aintno1special @Throbbinhood I agree only to the point that one death due to gun violence is one too many, however the largest population of gun violence statistically are not going to be swayed by closing of a loophole or some "AR" ban. The most "deadly" gun in the U.S. is the handgun, but they are not as scary as the "assault rifle".
@aintno1special : Your posts are a breath of fresh air. Thinking that the energy we put into the battle over guns will solve a MAJOR problem is like firefighters trying to fight the top of a flame. If you don't get the the core of the problem, it will never cease. Guns are a problem, yes. But they are a means to an end. The tip of the flame that burns your finger. We need to stop the problem by battling the reasons that the problems exist, which seem to be either gang related, the result of a mental ilness, or pure negligence (in which case safety education and emphasis on gun safety from dealers should be pushed harder)
@aintno1special @ThrobbinhoodÂ
I agree that no amount of gun control measures would have prevented what happened here. But it's a classic case of Nirvana Fallacy to suggest that this case proves the whole debate over guns is a waste.
Gun violence in this country has MANY sources, and it's foolish to think that any ONE solution will make everything perfect. It's not an either/or decision. This is a case where we probably need to take an "all of the above" approach in order to reduce gun violence - including better mental health treatment, changes in violent video games, better enforcement of existing gun laws, and changes to existing laws to close certain loopholes.