October 28, 2016
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Seattle Human Rights Commission on the Killing of a Pregnant Mother of Three During a Wellness Check
For information contact:
Marcel Baugh
marcel.baugh13@gmail.com
Danielle Wallace
wallace.danielle.marie@gmail.com
SEATTLE –We, the Seattle Human Rights Commission (the Commission), are saddened to write about a pregnant mother being killed by law enforcement during a wellness check last Friday. Renee Davis was a member of the Muckleshoot tribal community and a mother of three, and pregnant with her fourth child, as she was killed by King County Sheriff Deputies in the presence of two of her toddlers (2 and 3 years old). Davis’ family is devastated by the loss, and her children are left without their mother. The deputies involved are currently on paid administrative leave—seen by some as questionable.
Such tragedies occur too often. Few police officers throughout our state and country are well trained on how to recognize and interact with people living with depression and similar conditions. The Commission demands transparency in the release of details that led deputies to kill Renee Davis after her family called them to do a wellness check on their loved one. We also recommend that the King County Sheriff’s Office release data regarding how they train their officers to respond to citizens in need of wellness checks.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Renee Davis’ family and the Muckleshoot tribal community, and we ask for a swift, transparent, and ethical resolution in this matter.
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