Seattle Police Accountability Office To Probe Faletogo Shooting

SEATTLE, WA - The Seattle Office of Police Accountability (OPA) investigate the Dec. 31 shooting of Iosia Faletogo by Seattle officer Jared Keller. The OPA independently investigates complaints of misconduct made against officers by the public.

In addition to its own investigation, OPA recommended that SPD have an outside law enforcement agency investigate the Faletogo shooting.

Faletogo, 36, was shot around 5 p.m. on Dec. 31 in the Licton Springs neighborhood. Seattle police released dash and body cam videos of the shooting on Jan. 2. The videos show Faletogo fleeing from police, and then a struggle where multiple officers pile on top of him.

The videos also show that Faletogo was holding a gun during the struggle. But the video also shows that he was not holding the weapon in the seconds before he was shot. An officer can be seen in the video holding a gun to Faletogo's head as an officer screams, You're gonna get f--kin shot, dude!" multiple times.

Watch the video here - it contains graphic content.

Police stopped Faletogo because the car he was driving turned up with a Department of Licensing flag for an operator with a suspended license. The car did not belong to him, however.

OPA said its investigation into the shooting would conclude by July.

Image via YouTube