Seattle Council To Review Charleena Lyles Shooting At Tuesday Forum

SEATTLE, WA - A Seattle City Council committee will hold a public hearing Tuesday about the shooting death of Charleena Lyles. Lyles, 30, a pregnant mother of four, was shot to death June 18 by two Seattle police officers. Lyles had called the police to report a burglary, but was shot after allegedly advancing on the responding officers while holding a knife.

The Council Gender Equity, Safe Communities, and New Americans committee, chaired by Councilwoman Lorena Gonzalez, will host the forum on Tuesday. The meeting will give members of the community a chance to tell city officials what they think of the shooting, and what concerns they might have.

The public hearing happens at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Kane Hall at the University of Washington (Room 130, 4069 Spokane Lane).

Lyles' family, and many others, have questioned why Seattle police responded with deadly force. Newly released documents related to the shooting investigation show that the two responding officers, Steven McNew and Jason Anderson, considered using a Taser on Lyles, but neither officer was carrying one.

Anderson is now reportedly under internal investigation because, according to department policy, he was required to carry a Taser. Anderson had allegedly left the weapon in his locker for at least a week leading up to the Lyles shooting. The Seattle Times reported that Anderson felt that the Taser took up too much room on his utility belt.

Image via Neal McNamara/Patch.com