Police kill armed man in WWII German uniform
A man dressed in a World War II-era Nazi uniform who was fatally shot by Seattle police on New Year's Day was fascinated with history and enjoyed re-enacting war events, friends say.
SEATTLE — A man dressed in a World War II-era Nazi uniform who was fatally shot by Seattle police on New Year's Day was fascinated with history and enjoyed re-enacting war events, friends say.
The man, whose name has not been released by authorities, was shot outside his University District apartment early Thursday after police said he allegedly pointed a rifle with a large bayonet attached at officers.
The man attended the University of Washington, said Bob Roseth, a UW spokesman.
The man's mother told KING-TV that her son was a brilliant musician and student, who was on the UW dean's list.
He was "a peaceful and loving young man," she told the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. She also said she heard a different account of the shooting from a witness and that "the statement from the detectives left us with a lot of questions."
Friends described the 22-year-old college senior as an eccentric history buff who occasionally showed up to class and work wearing military and other uniforms.
But "he wasn't a Nazi," Hattie Taylor, a friend, told the P-I. "He was just fascinated with the past. ... He liked to dress up and have fun."
Another friend, Spencer Bray, said the man wanted to be a German literature professor and had a large collection of WWII memorabilia.
"I never heard him espousing any Nazi ideology; none of that interested him," Bray told The Seattle Times. "He liked the physical stuff from WWII because he was such a history buff."
Bray said his friend sometimes wore kilts or uniforms, including U.S. and German gear from WWII, to class, but made sure to remove swastikas and other symbols from them.
On his MySpace page, he had joked that he lived in a 1920s room and only entered "the 21st century when absolutely necessary," the newspapers said.
Police were called to the neighborhood just north of the university early Thursday after neighbors complained that several men were firing rifle and shotgun rounds in an alley.
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Police traced the activity to a basement apartment of a three-story house.
Seattle police spokesman Jeff Kappel said that when police knocked at the door, a man dressed in a German military uniform opened the door brandishing a long rifle with a large bayonet attached.
Kappel said the man pointed the rifle at one of the police officers, and refused several orders to drop the weapon. Two officers shot him several times.
The man was taken to Harborview Medical Center, where he later died.
Police searching the house found a large collection of German military and Nazi regalia and a lot of alcohol, Kappel said.
The two officers who fired at the man were placed on paid administrative leave, which is standard procedure.
Copyright © 2009 The Seattle Times Company
A man dressed in a World War II-era Nazi uniform who was fatally shot by Seattle police on New Year's Day was fascinated with history and enjoyed re-enacting war events, friends say.
SEATTLE — A man dressed in a World War II-era Nazi uniform who was fatally shot by Seattle police on New Year's Day was fascinated with history and enjoyed re-enacting war events, friends say.
The man, whose name has not been released by authorities, was shot outside his University District apartment early Thursday after police said he allegedly pointed a rifle with a large bayonet attached at officers.
The man attended the University of Washington, said Bob Roseth, a UW spokesman.
The man's mother told KING-TV that her son was a brilliant musician and student, who was on the UW dean's list.
He was "a peaceful and loving young man," she told the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. She also said she heard a different account of the shooting from a witness and that "the statement from the detectives left us with a lot of questions."
Friends described the 22-year-old college senior as an eccentric history buff who occasionally showed up to class and work wearing military and other uniforms.
But "he wasn't a Nazi," Hattie Taylor, a friend, told the P-I. "He was just fascinated with the past. ... He liked to dress up and have fun."
Another friend, Spencer Bray, said the man wanted to be a German literature professor and had a large collection of WWII memorabilia.
"I never heard him espousing any Nazi ideology; none of that interested him," Bray told The Seattle Times. "He liked the physical stuff from WWII because he was such a history buff."
Bray said his friend sometimes wore kilts or uniforms, including U.S. and German gear from WWII, to class, but made sure to remove swastikas and other symbols from them.
On his MySpace page, he had joked that he lived in a 1920s room and only entered "the 21st century when absolutely necessary," the newspapers said.
Police were called to the neighborhood just north of the university early Thursday after neighbors complained that several men were firing rifle and shotgun rounds in an alley.
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Police traced the activity to a basement apartment of a three-story house.
Seattle police spokesman Jeff Kappel said that when police knocked at the door, a man dressed in a German military uniform opened the door brandishing a long rifle with a large bayonet attached.
Kappel said the man pointed the rifle at one of the police officers, and refused several orders to drop the weapon. Two officers shot him several times.
The man was taken to Harborview Medical Center, where he later died.
Police searching the house found a large collection of German military and Nazi regalia and a lot of alcohol, Kappel said.
The two officers who fired at the man were placed on paid administrative leave, which is standard procedure.
Copyright © 2009 The Seattle Times Company
