Story and Photos by Scott Schaefer
Tuesday afternoon (Mar. 2nd) around 2pm, a potential domestic disturbance 9-1-1 call in Burien turned into the shooting death of a Pit Bull at an apartment near the intersection of 4th Ave SW and SW 155th.
According to a King County Sheriff’s officer on the scene, the Pit Bull escaped from its apartment when its owner, who was unrelated to the original disturbance call, heard some commotion. The dog then allegedly “charged” a cop, who shot it in self-defense. The officer (or possibly another officer) then had to “euthanize” the injured dog by shooting it again, possibly numerous times, according to witness accounts.
The dog’s body was covered in a yellow tarp when we arrived, as Animal Control officers and police continued to investigate the scene.
A neighbor who witnessed the attack told us that he felt the Pit Bull had endangered and scared other residents and children before.
UPDATE 3/3/10 Noon: We just received a response from Burien Police Chief Scott Kimerer, who said:
There is an ongoing investigation of this case so I will need to be somewhat brief in my response.
I can tell you the officer was not bitten.
Dog attacks happen occasionally and like any life/safety issue, the Officers are trained to respond to the level of danger using necessary force.
Some of the other questions may be answered in the course of the investigation.
- Chief K
Here are photos we took on the scene shortly after it happened (WARNING: one pic includes visible dog blood):
The deceased Pit Bull's body lies under a yellow tarp.
At least four Burien Police cars and two Animal Control units were on the scene.
Blood from the shot Pit Bull was still visible in the apartment driveway.
As if wondering what had happened, this dog stuck its head out the window of a car as it passed the scene.
Burien Police Chief Scott Kimerer
Story by Ralph Nichols
Photos by Scott Schaefer
Police chiefs from King and Snohomish counties voiced their concerns at a press conference in Burien Wednesday morning (Oct. 21) about potential impacts of Initiative 1033 on public safety – especially in smaller cities.
But they stopped short of opposing the revenue-limiting ballot measure. Public officials are prohibited by state law from campaigning for or against ballot proposals as well as candidates.
Instead, said Scott Kimerer, Burien police chief and chairman of the King County Police Chiefs Association, “People have a right to make their own decisions on how to vote. But they need to be informed….
“We are encouraging citizens to ask their city governments what effect I-1033 would have on their ability to provide services if it is successful.”
Kimerer and Des Moines Police Chief Roger Baker represented Highline cities at the press conference.
I-1033 would limit future growth in the revenue cities, counties and the state could take in, based on annual growth in inflation and population. Revenues above the limit would be used to reduce property taxes.
“Already reeling from tough economic times that have seen 15 to 20 percent reductions in revenues, the financial analysis indicates that police services, many of which have already experienced budget cuts this year, could be further restricted to the point of struggling to meet the needs of their citizens’ public safety concerns,” Kimerer said.
“Police budgets generally represent half or more of cities’ general fund expenditures,” he added. And there has been “a 30 percent drop in cities’ anticipated enrollment of new hires in the (state) police academy” in Burien.
Burien City Manager Mike Martin
The impact of I-1033, if approved in the November election, Kimerer said in response to a question, also could delay North Highline annexation by Burien, which now is expected to take place in late March. Residents of the southern part of the unincorporated area voted 56 percent to 44 percent in August to become part of the city.
Burien City Manager Mike Martin, who attended the press conference, concurred with Kimerer’s assessment.
“If people want less government, they will get less government,” Martin said. “There will be fewer departments and less people (police officers) on the street.”
Kimmerer said “the easily discernable impacts of I-1033 can be found by examining the general funds and budgets of the 82 percent of suburban cities in King County having a population of fewer than 50,000. These cities function with a small margin to provide all the needed services and are very transparent in their budget process and revenues.”
Statewide, 94 percent of all cities have populations less than 50,000.
Marysville Police Chief Rick Smith, chairman of the Snohomish County Police Chiefs and Sheriffs Association, said his department experienced sharp cuts due to the recession this year. Further cuts, should I-1033 pass, “could impair our ability to provide services to our city….
“The whole criminal justice system (including prosecutors, courts and jails) would be impacted, maybe significantly,” Smith said. “We just don’t know. The bottom line is for citizens to ask officials what impact 1033 would have on their city.”
Any cuts in the budgets of local law enforcement agencies “minimizes our response,” he added.
One problem with I-1033, said one police chief who spoke on condition of anonymity, is that it “targets state government, large counties and large cities” without taking into account the different circumstances of smaller cities and counties.
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