Charleena Chavon Lyles, 30
Seattle, Washington
June 18, 2017
Agencies: The Community Police Commission CPC Seattle Washington | Seattle Police Department Washington
Cause of death: Shooting
Last updated: over 1 year ago
People tracking this case: 3 -- Click here to Track this.
Overview 
The shooting occurred just before 10 a.m. on the fourth floor of an apartment building in the 6800 block of 62nd Avenue Northeast, Mark Jamieson with SPD said.
The complex is an affordable housing building for families.
Jamieson said two officers were responded to reports of a burglary.It's not clear what prompted the officers to shoot the woman, but she was hit multiple times and died, investigators said.
Police say there were children inside of the apartment at the time.
The woman's sister identified her as Charleena Lyles.
Lyles was trying to get help for some mental health issues, said Monika Williams. She had just been released from jail on Wednesday, her family said.
Investigators would not go into detail about what happened, but officers arrested Lyles in early June on several charges, including obstruction and harassment, in connection with another incident at her home.
"The obstruction was she wouldn’t let go of her baby until I got here and she had some scissors in her hand. She didn’t charge nobody or nothing," said Williams. "She just told them to call my sister and tell my sister gets here. And then when I got here, I told them then. ‘Cause they didn’t know whether to take her to jail or take her to mental health. Take here to mental health. She has mental health issues."
Department of Justice:
On March 31, 2011, we opened an investigation of the Seattle Police Department (SPD) pursuant to the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Following a comprehensive investigation, on December 16, 2011, we announced our findings. We found that SPD has engaged in a pattern or practice of excessive force that violates the Constitution and federal law. Our investigation further raised serious concerns that some SPD policies and practices, particularly those related to pedestrian encounters, could result in discriminatory policing. We negotiated and filed a consent decree to address these concerns on July 27, 2012, and separately entered into a settlement agreement on related issues on that same date. On September 21, the court modified and entered the consent decree. The documents below provide more information about the investigation, the Justice Department's findings, the consent decree and memorandum of understanding, and next steps.
Legal Action
June 2017 Police propaganda - 'female suspect'
June 2017 Audio released by police
June 2017 Police release dashcam footage
June 2017 Former civil Rights Attorney
June 2017 The Seattle Police Monitor wants to hear from you.
June 2017 Entire police transcript
June 2017 Accountability Review Board meets Wednesday June 24, 4pm - 6pm City Hall 2nd floor Al Rochester Conference room / Room 265
June 2017 Investigation to take months
June 2017 Charleena had sought mental health help for months prior to her murder
June 2017 Doctors and nurses disarm violent, mentally ill patients every day without guns or tasers or body armor and do it without killing them
June 2017 Police told Charleena they wouldn't shoot her
June 2017 Police thought they should Tase Charleena Lyles. They didn't have one so they shot the pregnant mother and killed her in front of her kids
June 2017 Charleena needed healthcare got cops and guns instead
June 2017 Body camera plan in limbo over whether officers can view video to write reports
June 2017 DOJ Consent Decree thread
June 2017 Officers named. Petition to fire
June 2017 Nikkitar Oliver
June 2017 Seattle City Council announces that the Office of Professional Accountability Review Board has gone into hiding following the murder of Charleena.
June 2017 Police once again prove they have no respect for the safety of children when making arrests or using firearms.
June 2017 Tennessee v Garner (1985) and Graham v. Connor. Police 'belief' allows police to murder with impunity
June 2017 What I found while watching older videos by Seattle Police Department.
June 2017 Anderson gives reasons for no taser
June 2017 Seattle Police Department suspends its Twitch channel following Charleena Lyles controversy
June 2017 Deluge of police propaganda
June 2017 UK police arrest man with a knife
June 2017 Charleena Lyles' Public Defender Raised Concerns About Police Treatment Two Weeks Before Officers Shot Her
June 2017 In 34 states, training decisions are left to local agencies. Most, though, conduct no, or very little, de-escalation training. Chiefs cite cost, lack of staff, and a belief that the training isn't needed.
June 2017 Tasers continue to kill people
June 2017 The chief of @SeattlePD really needs to step down. Killing pregnant black women is not acceptable behavior.
June 2017 “Well, I’m heartbroken over what happened in Seattle,” he said. “As you know, Seattle has the most extreme use-of-force statute in the country. What I can tell you is that the police officers who shot and killed that woman in Seattle, nobody should expect them to be charged with a crime. It absolutely, positively will not happen under the law as it is in Seattle.
June 2017 Ableism, racism, and gendered violence YWCA USA
June 2017 Murders by police in Washington are up 20% on 2016 numbers
June 2017 Outraged crowd mourns shooting death of Charleena Lyles, rages against police brutality at community forum
Dec 1 2021 Seatlle awards $3.5 million dollars for killing of Charleena Lyles
Community and Family Efforts
June 2017 Vigil
June 2017 March and protest
June 2017 Twitter lights up
June 2017 Mayor Statement
June 2017 Huge vigils Tuesday Night here,
June 2017 Local activists discuss murder of Charleena
June 2017 Students and teachers rally demanding justice
June 2017 Livefeed vigil, march and rally
June 2017 Washington University - No Justice No peace
June 2017 Double rainbow over Seattle rally - #she called for help - #and then you shot her
June 2017 Mayoral candidates react to Charleena's murder
June 2017 NikkitarOliver Livestream
June 2017 Teen Vogue
June 2017 Award to Seattle Police put on hold following murder of Charleena
June 2017 Charleena and my broken trust in the SPD
June 2017 Dain Dillingham - Her name was Charleena Lyles
June 2017 "This episode is going to be a little on the heavier side," Sgt. Whitcomb says at the beginning of the video.No shit. It's also tone deaf. Seattle Police Department
June 2017 Kshama Sawant Speaks at "Justice For Charleena Lyles" Rally. #Seattle #BlackLivesMatter 6/22/17
June 2017 Seattle Globalist Statement
June 2017 Cuban Women
June 2017 What we are teaching Black Children - Philando Castile and Eleanor Bumpurs
June 2017 Town Hall meeting 6:00pm Tuesday
June 2017 Perceptions of people in a mental health crisis likely played a role in deadly 3 minute police encounter
June 2017 Sacrificing black lives for the American lie
June 2017 30 minutes silence for 30 years Charleena's life blocks Seattle Parade
June 2017 #SayHerName Everywhere
June 2017 Need for more police scrutiny
Justice for Charleena! Come to Public Hearing 6:00pm Tues, 6/27 Kane Hall University of Washington
Additional Resources:
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- https://www.thenation.com/article/charleena-lyles-was-killed-by-a-police-department-under-a-consent-decree/ added June 27, 2017 05:59
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- http://www.thestranger.com/slog/2017/06/23/25239389/charleena-lyles-public-defender-raised-concerns-about-police-treatment-two-weeks-before-officers-shot-her added June 25, 2017 05:43
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