Seattle, WA — A local police department is being criticized after two officers shot and killed Renee Davis, a 23-year old Black/ Native-American woman who was five months pregnant. Davis reportedly suffered from major bouts of depression.According to the King County sheriff’s office (different from the Seattle Police Department, but still located in Seattle, Washington), they received a call about a suicidal woman with a handgun and two small children present. So they dispatched two King County deputies to perform a welfare check on Davis at her home. Upon arrival to her home, Sgt. Cindi West says, “They tried repeatedly to get somebody to come to the door, nobody did. But, they could see the two kids running around inside then house.”
Eventually the deputies forced their way into the home, and reportedly saw Davis holding a weapon. The officers then fired multiple shots, killing her on site.
Renee’s sister, Bargala, says the family has many questions about what exactly led to the shooting. “It’s really upsetting because it was a wellness check,” she told the Seattle Times. “Obviously, she didn’t come out of it well.”
Davis was the mother to three small children, ages 2, 3 and 5. The family says their priority is to find a home for the children.
Hunter Vaiese, a local resident, told reporters: “My community is confused. We have our own police department in which we know our deputies personally. I never thought this would happen so close to home. She needed help, but she got bullets. It doesn’t make sense to me.”
Meanwhile, the names of the two involved deputies have not yet been released, and they are both on paid administrative leave.
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