Witness To Charleena Lyles Killing Heard Shots, Saw Neighbor Dead In Hallway

SEATTLE, WA - Charleena Lyles' neighbor was lying on his couch watching soccer on Father's Day when his peaceful Sunday morning - Father's Day - was interrupted by loud gunfire. The shots were so loud, George M. thought someone was shooting inside his apartment. He ran to the two bedrooms in the back of his apartment to retrieve his children, ages 7 and 11. When he opened his front door to escape to what he thought was safety, he saw Lyles lying on the floor. George's young daughter saw the scene before police shouted at them to get back inside the apartment.

"Leena was just lying in the hall," he said recounting Sunday's events, still clearly shaken.

Lyles, who was also pregnant, died around 10 a.m. Sunday at an apartment complex in the Sand Point neighborhood inside Magnuson Park. Lyles, who is black, was shot by two white police officers Sunday morning after she called police to report a burglary. Seattle police have said that Lyles "confronted" the two officers while holding a knife.

Seattle police released an audio recording early Monday morning of the interaction between Lyles and the two officers. The 4-minute recording is routine in many ways: the officers greet Lyles and begin talking to her about the burglary; she can be heard on the tape talking about how she left her apartment to go to the store when the burglary occurred. At the beginning of the tape, the two officers discuss whether Lyles poses a safety risk; they also indicate that they are familiar with her.

Near the 4-minute mark, the the interaction turns dark. You hear scuffling, and then the officers start yelling at someone to "back up." The officers also can be heard saying "we need help." A woman's voice shouts an expletive, and a child can be heard screaming. And then, at least five shots ring out. The tape ends there.

There might be a clearer view of what happened, however. Inside the apartment building, George, Lyles' neighbor, pointed to a surveillance camera above the door to his apartment. The camera has a clear view down the hallway toward Lyles' apartment. (UPDATE: Seattle police have released a longer video of the interaction, which shows a perspective from the camera referenced in this paragraph.)

Police have visited Lyles before. According to KIRO 7, police responded to Lyles' apartment on June 5 on a report of a domestic disturbance. Lyles' was allegedly holding a pair of "extra large scissors," which she intended to use to defend herself against a possibly violent boyfriend. Two of the officers who responded to that call on June 5 had their guns drawn, according to the narrative of the incident. Lyles eventually dropped the scissors, and police arrested her on suspicion of harassment.

Lyles' death has left the community where she lived in shock. Residents also describe a strained relationship with police, with some saying they feel ostracizd because of where they live. On Monday morning, a memorial to Lyles had been set up in front of her apartment building. Candles were still burning, a remnant of the vigil held by Lyles' friends and family Sunday night.

Nearby, Christina Damas, who has lived at the complex for over six years, was questioning the police response to the incident. She said she saw heavily armed officers - possibly members of the SWAT team - stream into the complex around 10 a.m. Sunday.

"It seemed overzealous to me," Damas said. She said that police visit the complex "daily" - so much so that no one really pays attention when the police come by. Sunday was different. Damas watched the officers come out of Lyles' building after the shooting. She said the officers, wearing medical gloves, were stone-faced.

Damas also indicated that police often treat residents of Lyles' complex differently. She said that police don't treat her with credibility because of her address. Whenever there's a crime in the surrounding neighborhood - the nearby View Point area is one of the wealthiest in Seattle - Damas said police come looking for the perpetrators in the apartment complex.

"I think it's obvious the police used excessive force; there are so many other ways [the interaction with Lyles] could've been handled," she said.

Another neighbor, who gave his name as Chris G., said he knew Lyles well. Their children played together at the apartment complex. Chris said that Lyles was an extremely devoted mother, but was having trouble recently. He said that a man that she was involved with recently smashed her windshield.

At the time of the shooting, Chris was inside his apartment playing video games. He saw police go by outside his first-floor window, and didn't think anything of it. Moments later, he saw another officer run by holding an assault rifle.

"I'm still kinda in shock," he said. He said that Lyles had lived at the complex for about a year, having moved there from south Seattle.

Another neighbor, who gave his name as Roy, commented that problems between police and low-income communities has been going on for decades - and not just in Seattle.

"The police here have always been against low-income people and middle-income people," Roy said.

The complex, called Brettler Family Place 3, is run by the nonprofit group Solid Ground. The organization runs five separate buildings grouped together along 62nd Avenue Northeast. Lyles lived in one of the newest buildings on the fourth floor.

George, Lyles' neighbor, said that he only knew the woman in passing. They would greet each other, and he knew she had kids. He was particularly upset about the situation because he believes he saw one of the police officers pick up one of Lyles' children off the ground after the shooting. Police have said that none of Lyles three children were injured during the shooting, but George worries about the psychological damage the shooting will do to her children, as well as his own.

At one point, George opened his door to look out into the hallway. Three Seattle police officers were standing there; one said hello to him, but he shut the door without saying anything.

"I don't feel safe," he said about the atmosphere in the apartment complex.

The shooting is under investigation by the Seattle police Force Investigation Team (FIT), and both officers have been placed on paid leave.

Image Neal McNamara/Patch.com