Murder of Timothy Brenton
Encyclopedia
The murder of Timothy Brenton occurred on October 31, 2009 in the Central District of Seattle, Washington, United States
. Brenton, an officer
with the Seattle Police Department
, was seated in a parked patrol car
with another officer discussing a traffic stop when a gunman stopped his vehicle alongside the patrol car, opened fire on the two officers, and fled the scene. Brenton died at the scene and his partner sustained minor injuries. One week later, as a public memorial service for Brenton was being held at KeyArena
, the suspected gunman was apprehended and seriously wounded after being shot by police officers in Tukwila
.
The shooting is believed to have been a targeted attack against police officers in general, not against either officer individually. The suspect arrested in connection with the murder has also been charged in connection with the firebombing of Seattle police vehicles at a city maintenance facility on October 22, 2009.
officer was killed and another injured. They were:
), Brenton and his partner, trainee officer Britt Sweeney, were both sitting in their patrol car
following a traffic stop at 29th Avenue South and East Yesler Way in the Central District. Sweeney was sitting in the driver's seat with Brenton in the passenger seat. They were debriefing the traffic stop they just performed when a vehicle pulled up alongside the police car and someone inside opened fire with a rifle. Sweeney ducked, and a bullet grazed the top of her head and her back. Brenton, meanwhile, was mortally wounded in the attack. The suspect vehicle reversed, turned around, and fled the scene in the direction from which it came. As the vehicle was fleeing the scene Sweeney managed to call for help, exit the patrol car, and return fire.
Seattle's police chief called the attack an assassination
, as well as an act of domestic terrorism. Several days after the shooting, a suspicious vehicle was identified as having been seen on dashboard cameras of other police vehicles in the area of the shooting.
A public memorial service was held for Brenton on November 6. The memorial began with a procession of police and fire vehicles from the University of Washington
campus to KeyArena
, where a public ceremony was held. As the ceremony was concluding, officers with the Seattle and Tukwila
police departments and King County Sheriff's Office
confronted Christopher Monfort, age 41, who owned a vehicle matching the description of the suspicious vehicle, in the parking lot of a Tukwila apartment complex. Monfort brandished a gun and attempted to flee into his apartment. Upon brandishing the weapon again, the pursuing officers opened fire, seriously wounding Monfort. Monfort was taken to Harborview Medical Center
and his family has stated that he is paralyzed from the waist down
.
Upon entering Monfort's apartment police allege they found three rifles, a shotgun, homemade explosives, booby traps and a barricade of tires. Investigators also claim to have matched ballistics between a rifle found in Monfort's apartment and the bullets used in the attack on Brenton and Sweeney. They also found evidence connecting Monfort with the firebombing of multiple police vehicles at a Seattle city maintenance facility on October 22, 2009, in which prosecutors claim he was planning to kill police officers. Police also claim to have a DNA match for Monfort found on the flags left at the firebombing scene and the murder scene.
King County
prosecutors charged Monfort with aggravated first degree murder and attempted first-degree murder in connection with the shooting of Brenton and Sweeney. He is also charged with arson and attempted first-degree murder in connection with the firebombing at the city maintenance facility, and another attempted first-degree murder charge for attempting to shoot a detective who was pursuing him.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Brenton, an officer
Police officer
A police officer is a warranted employee of a police force...
with the Seattle Police Department
Seattle Police Department
The Seattle Police Department is the principal law enforcement agency of the city of Seattle, Washington, except for the campus of the University of Washington, for which responsibility falls to the University of Washington Police Department...
, was seated in a parked patrol car
Police car
A police car is a ground vehicle used by police, to assist with their duties in patrolling and responding to incidents. Typical uses of a police car include transportation for officers to reach the scene of an incident quickly, to transport criminal suspects, or to patrol an area, while providing a...
with another officer discussing a traffic stop when a gunman stopped his vehicle alongside the patrol car, opened fire on the two officers, and fled the scene. Brenton died at the scene and his partner sustained minor injuries. One week later, as a public memorial service for Brenton was being held at KeyArena
KeyArena
KeyArena at Seattle Center , is a multipurpose arena, in Seattle, Washington. It is located north of downtown in the entertainment complex known as Seattle Center, the site of the 1962 World's Fair, the Century 21 Exposition...
, the suspected gunman was apprehended and seriously wounded after being shot by police officers in Tukwila
Tukwila, Washington
Tukwila is a city in King County, Washington, United States. The northern edge of Tukwila borders the city of Seattle. The population was 19,107 at the 2010 census.-History:...
.
The shooting is believed to have been a targeted attack against police officers in general, not against either officer individually. The suspect arrested in connection with the murder has also been charged in connection with the firebombing of Seattle police vehicles at a city maintenance facility on October 22, 2009.
Victims
One Seattle Police DepartmentSeattle Police Department
The Seattle Police Department is the principal law enforcement agency of the city of Seattle, Washington, except for the campus of the University of Washington, for which responsibility falls to the University of Washington Police Department...
officer was killed and another injured. They were:
- Field Training Officer Timothy Brenton, 39, of MarysvilleMarysville, WashingtonMarysville is a city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. The population was 60,020 at the 2010 census. Marysville is known as "The Strawberry City" due to the large number of strawberry farms that once surrounded the city in its earlier days. Over the past decade, and continuing...
, 9 years with SPD, killed in the attack. - Trainee Officer Britt Sweeney, 33, of Seattle, 1 month with SPD, injured in the attack.
Incident
On the night of October 31, 2009, at approximately 10:00 pm (UTC-8UTC-8
UTC−08:00 is an identifier for a time offset from UTC of −08. This time is used in:-As standard time :*Canada**Northwest Territories***Tungsten and the associated Cantung Mine*Mexico...
), Brenton and his partner, trainee officer Britt Sweeney, were both sitting in their patrol car
Police car
A police car is a ground vehicle used by police, to assist with their duties in patrolling and responding to incidents. Typical uses of a police car include transportation for officers to reach the scene of an incident quickly, to transport criminal suspects, or to patrol an area, while providing a...
following a traffic stop at 29th Avenue South and East Yesler Way in the Central District. Sweeney was sitting in the driver's seat with Brenton in the passenger seat. They were debriefing the traffic stop they just performed when a vehicle pulled up alongside the police car and someone inside opened fire with a rifle. Sweeney ducked, and a bullet grazed the top of her head and her back. Brenton, meanwhile, was mortally wounded in the attack. The suspect vehicle reversed, turned around, and fled the scene in the direction from which it came. As the vehicle was fleeing the scene Sweeney managed to call for help, exit the patrol car, and return fire.
Seattle's police chief called the attack an assassination
Assassination
To carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
, as well as an act of domestic terrorism. Several days after the shooting, a suspicious vehicle was identified as having been seen on dashboard cameras of other police vehicles in the area of the shooting.
A public memorial service was held for Brenton on November 6. The memorial began with a procession of police and fire vehicles from the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
campus to KeyArena
KeyArena
KeyArena at Seattle Center , is a multipurpose arena, in Seattle, Washington. It is located north of downtown in the entertainment complex known as Seattle Center, the site of the 1962 World's Fair, the Century 21 Exposition...
, where a public ceremony was held. As the ceremony was concluding, officers with the Seattle and Tukwila
Tukwila, Washington
Tukwila is a city in King County, Washington, United States. The northern edge of Tukwila borders the city of Seattle. The population was 19,107 at the 2010 census.-History:...
police departments and King County Sheriff's Office
King County, Washington Sheriff's Office
The King County Sheriff's Office is a local police agency in King County, Washington. It is the primary law enforcement agency for all unincorporated areas of King County, as well as 12 cities, and 2 transit agencies, which contract their police services to the KCSO. KCSO also provided Police and...
confronted Christopher Monfort, age 41, who owned a vehicle matching the description of the suspicious vehicle, in the parking lot of a Tukwila apartment complex. Monfort brandished a gun and attempted to flee into his apartment. Upon brandishing the weapon again, the pursuing officers opened fire, seriously wounding Monfort. Monfort was taken to Harborview Medical Center
Harborview Medical Center
Harborview Medical Center, located on Seattle's First Hill, is a public hospital in King County, Washington and is managed by UW Medicine.-Overview:...
and his family has stated that he is paralyzed from the waist down
Paraplegia
Paraplegia is an impairment in motor or sensory function of the lower extremities. The word comes from Ionic Greek: παραπληγίη "half-striking". It is usually the result of spinal cord injury or a congenital condition such as spina bifida that affects the neural elements of the spinal canal...
.
Suspect
At the time of the incidents, Monfort had no criminal record in Washington, and in 2007 attended the University of Washington and studied law enforcement.Upon entering Monfort's apartment police allege they found three rifles, a shotgun, homemade explosives, booby traps and a barricade of tires. Investigators also claim to have matched ballistics between a rifle found in Monfort's apartment and the bullets used in the attack on Brenton and Sweeney. They also found evidence connecting Monfort with the firebombing of multiple police vehicles at a Seattle city maintenance facility on October 22, 2009, in which prosecutors claim he was planning to kill police officers. Police also claim to have a DNA match for Monfort found on the flags left at the firebombing scene and the murder scene.
King County
King County, Washington
King County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. The population in the 2010 census was 1,931,249. King is the most populous county in Washington, and the 14th most populous in the United States....
prosecutors charged Monfort with aggravated first degree murder and attempted first-degree murder in connection with the shooting of Brenton and Sweeney. He is also charged with arson and attempted first-degree murder in connection with the firebombing at the city maintenance facility, and another attempted first-degree murder charge for attempting to shoot a detective who was pursuing him.