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<< Previous   of   Next >> (click to enlarge) Seattle Times  (click to enlarge) Two Seattle Police Department officers place a bouquet of flowers Sunday at the makeshift memorial near the site where officer Timothy Brenton was shot and killed late Saturday night in Seattle.   ADVERTISEMENT   Related Stories • Person sought in officer's killing is shot in head 11/6/09   CONTACT THE HERALD Robert Frank, City Editor frank@heraldnet.com   Published: Monday, November 2, 2009 Slain Seattle Police officer lived in Marysville The officer killed Saturday had a wife and two children. By Katya Yefimova Herald Writer SEATTLE — Police and community members on Sunday searched for answers in what officials called a cold-blooded assassination of Seattle Police officer Timothy Brenton of Marysville. Brenton, 39, was gunned down late on Saturday in an apparent drive-by shooting in Seattle's Leschi neighborhood, Seattle police officials said during a press conference on Sunday afternoon. He left behind a wife and two young children. Brenton and Britt Sweeney, a rookie officer he was training, were talking in a patrol car just after 10 p.m. when Sweeney noticed a vehicle approach from the left, officials said. Sensing danger, she yelled to alert Brenton and ducked. Shots rang out, killing Brenton instantly and grazing Sweeney. She called backup and returned fire. The shooter or shooters quickly left the scene. Officials didn't know on Sunday if the suspect car had been hit. Sweeney was treated at the Harborview Medical Center in Seattle and released. Officials praised her actions on Saturday night. She has been with the department for less than seven months. “This is a loss for all in our family of law enforcement,” said state Rep. Mike Hope, R-Lake Stevens, a 12-year veteran of the Seattle Police Department. Brenton spent more than eight years at the department. Hope didn't know him, as he works in a different precinct. Learning that the killing may have been premeditated was a real shock, Hope said. “Any time a law enforcement officer is killed in the line of duty, it's devastating to the whole law enforcement community,” he said. In front of Brenton's Marysville home, a Snohomish County sheriff's deputy and a Marysville police officer stood guard on Sunday afternoon out of respect for the slain officer's family. Neighbors told The Herald they didn't want to comment to honor the family's privacy. “It's hard to believe that something like this has occurred,” Everett Police Chief Jim Scharf said. “Now that it did, it's going to make all officers in the Puget Sound area more aware of their surroundings.” A police officer's job has grown more dangerous than ever before, he said. Brenton's tragic death likely will lead police departments in the region to make changes in their training procedures. “This gives an indication of what all of our officers will face,” Scharf said. Brenton was a field training officer. The department routinely pairs experienced officers with rookies, Seattle Assistant Police Chief Jim Pugel explained. Brenton and Sweeney started their shift just a few hours before the shooting. They made a traffic stop about 9:30 p.m. and, following department policy, were debriefing. The car was parked near 29th Avenue S. and E. Yesler Way. Brenton was in the passenger's seat and Sweeney in the driver's when shots were fired. Officials said they found no indication the shooter or shooters were after Brenton. The department is devoting every available resource to find his killer. “Our community is in shock at this brutal and senseless crime,” Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels said during the press conference. The last Snohomish County officer who died in the line of duty was Brier police officer Edwanton Thomas. He died on Sept. 12, 2006, from a heart condition following a struggle. In 1999, a young Everett police officer, Brian DiBucci, was killed after he fell 100 feet from a highway overpass during a foot chase. The Everett Police Department established an award in his name. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Katya Yefimova: 425-339-3452, kyefimova@heraldnet.com. READER COMMENTS Log in or register to post new comment | Log out RIP Our prayers and condolences to the officer's family. hope floats | Nov 2, 2009 12:36 am | 1 replies | View all | Post reply | Request removal why? Police Officer get killed, major deal, newstations think we should all be shocked? And should be concerned? For what? One less cop to kill Joe citizen? Police kills Joe citizen, Police give them 5 years for manslaughter? Someone kills a cop, 1st degree murder? MEADE SAID IT BEST DID HE NOT, RIGHT BEFORE HE KILLED JOE CITIZEN. ( TIME TO END THIS ) 1st degree murder in my eyes. Cover up in my eyes. My condolences to all families who have to live with the aftermath. Innocent victims, both sides of the fence. Craig French | Nov 2, 2009 9:36 pm | 0 replies | View all | Post reply | Request removal It is sad I feel very sorry for any family who lost a loved one. And people know this I am not a fan of Police. But either Joe citizen or a police offer, they both have families that have to continue on. Dustin Willard from 23rd street Murder, and the man in the vette at Chuckwagon murder. Right or wrong, the people who have to live with it must continue on. My condolences to the families involed. Craig French | Nov 2, 2009 8:52 pm | 0 replies | View all | Post reply | Request removal So Sad My thoughts and prayers go out to the family as well as the law enforcement community. It still amazes me there are numerous comments on stories of criminals getting shot by police. On the flip side, when a police officer is horrifically murdered, there are less comments. I hope this doesn't happen ever again, but I know that is unrealistic. A police officers job is risky. The murderer will be found, and will be taken down for what they did. Elizabeth Cook | Nov 2, 2009 4:27 pm | 0 replies | View all | Post reply | Request removal (No heading) Senseless And Shocking! I feel very sad for all the relatives of murdured love ones. We all know "cold-blooded" murder, when we see it. I hope it will be many more years before a policeman is killed like this again, and I hope I don't live to see it. Bill Nath | Nov 2, 2009 10:09 am | 0 replies | View all | Post reply | Request removal To the Dirtbags May your every waking and sleeping moment, for the rest of your sorry lives, be torment and unrest! And may you have a long life to experience such! hope floats | Nov 2, 2009 12:41 am | 0 replies | View all | Post reply | Request removal

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