Officer who shot pregnant Black woman suspended for not having Taser

By TheGrio Staff

·February 19, 2018

SEATTLE, WA - JUNE 20: A woman holds a sign in honor of Charleena Lyles during a protest and rally in honor of Lyles on June 20, 2017 in Seattle, Washington. Officers from the Seattle Police Department shot and killed Lyles, a pregnant mother of four, on June 18. (Photo by David Ryder/Getty Images)

A Seattle police officer who shot Charleena Lyles has been suspended for two days without pay for violating department policy.

During the fatal June 18 confrontation last year, Officer Jason Anderson, who is white, did not have his Taser with him and instead is one of two officer who shot the 30-year old, African-American mother of four, seven times. Lyles, who, according to family members, was pregnant at the time, called the police to her home after suspecting a burglary. The cops said she allegedly pulled knives on them and they retaliated with guns.

Where was the Taser?

At the time, Anderson had switched to pepper spray and a baton despite a policy stating that officers trained in the use of a Taser must carry one. Anderson argued that his Taser’s battery had stopped working, but Interim Police Chief Carmen Best has rejected that argument.

“Your complacency in this regard is unacceptable and added an otherwise unnecessary element to an incident already of significant public concern,” Best wrote. “The impact of your disregard for this policy on public trust should not be underestimated.”

While Anderson’s suspension does not determine whether or not Lyles would still be alive, Best concluded that at the very least, Anderson should have notified his supervisor and the department’s Taser coordinator about his Taser issues.

“It is concerning that Officer Anderson chose not to follow Seattle Police Department policy by failing to carry his Taser,” noted Corey Guilmette, an attorney for Lyles’ siblings and cousins. “However, it is unclear whether Charleena would be alive today if Officer Anderson had carried his Taser.”

Since the department’s training would not call for a Taser to be used in this situation, Guilmette feels that the training itself needs to be changed, according to the Seattle Times.

“Until there are changes to policy and training, the same events that led to Charleena’s death could happen tomorrow,” he wrote. “Charleena’s brother, sisters, and cousins expect the police oversight system and City of Seattle elected officials to insist that SPD push harder to find other tactical options for officers in a situation like this.”