FBI to probe police shooting for possible civil rights violation

Associated Press

SEATTLE — The FBI will investigate the shooting death of a black man killed by a police officer last week to determine if race was a factor, an agency spokesman said Thursday.

Aaron Roberts, 37, a convicted felon being sought on an arrest warrant, was shot to death May 31 by Officer Craig Price.

"We’re not taking the Seattle Police Department’s investigation away from them, but we’re opening a separate and parallel investigation looking into the civil rights aspects of it," said FBI spokesman Ray Lauer. "If the shooting occurred because of racist motives, that would be a civil rights violation, but there are other possible motives, too."

Mayor Paul Schell said he was pleased at the FBI involvement.

"I welcome the FBI’s investigation of the Aaron Roberts case," Schell said. "It’s my hope that it will provide the assurances of objectivity called for by members of the African American community. The city will, of course, cooperate fully."

There have been several marches to protest the shooting, including one Wednesday evening.

Roberts had been pulled over by Price and Officer Greg Neubert for driving erratically. When Neubert tried to take Roberts’ identification, Roberts began to drive away, dragging Neubert with him — first forward, then in reverse, police said.

After the car backed onto the sidewalk and struck several concrete planters, Price climbed inside the passenger door, struggled with Roberts and fired a single shot.

Lisa Marchese, a lawyer for the two officers, said Wednesday that Roberts was holding onto Neubert when he put the car in motion, a detail not contained in police reports or comments.

Organizers of the latest march said they wanted both officers fired, anti-racism workshops and nonviolence training for police and an independent civilian review board with the power to issue subpoenas, discipline officers and hire outside investigators.

Assistant police chief Clark Kimerer has defended the shooting, saying the officers’ lives were in danger.

Both officers remain on administrative leave, a routine procedure in police shootings that result in death.