'He's Reaching': SPD Releases Video Of Fatal Ravenna Shooting

SEATTLE, WA - A car thief shot and killed early Monday by Seattle police in the Ravenna neighborhood disobeyed police for almost a full minute before an officer opened fire on him, according to a video released by Seattle police Tuesday evening.

Police first encountered the man around 4:30 a.m. along 34th Avenue Northeast. The video shows a lone Seattle officer approach the suspect and orders him not to run away. As the officer chases the man up the sidewalk, gunshots ring out. The officer returns fire and takes cover behind a car, according to the video.

Following that encounter, the man went to a home along 27th Avenue Northeast and stole a Volkswagen Jetta at gunpoint from the owners. Around 5:515 a.m., police confront the man along 26 Avenue Northeast. With the street blocked by police cars, the man drives up onto the sidewalk and then crashes into a Seattle police car.

After the crash, Seattle police officers swarm around the Jetta, ordering the suspect to turn off the engine. The video shows almost the entire the encounter from the body camera of one officer. In the video, the officer, standing at the rear of the car, notices the suspect begin to rifle around the back seat of the car.

"He's reaching, he's reaching!" the officer screams.

The officer moves down alongside the car, and the video shows the man frantically tossing clothing and other objects around in the back seat. He does not appear to listen to the officers' demands to stop. After about 50 seconds, one officer opens fire.

Detectives later found a handgun on the floor of the car, according to Seattle police.

Image via YouTube