More than two years after the fatal shooting of Charleena Lyles by two Seattle police officers, her relatives and supporters watched a preinquest hearing held Tuesday to discuss various legal issues before the proceedings begin.
The inquest will determine whether the actions of the two officers complied with department policy and training when they responded to a call at Lyles’ Magnuson Park apartment on June 18, 2017, after she reported an attempted burglary. Police said Lyles, a pregnant, 30-year-old mother of four, lunged at them with one or two knives, and the two officers shot her seven times.
The shooting sparked outrage among Seattle residents and those who knew Lyles. Some accused the department of racism, as Lyles was black and both officers are white. An inquest was initially ordered later that year, but was put on hold after King County Executive Dow Constantine called for an overhaul of the inquest process in December 2017.
No date has been set for the inquest to begin.