Summary

King County Executive Dow Constantine today ordered an inquest into the shooting death of Ariel Rosenfeld by a Seattle police officer on Aug. 16. Rosenfeld was fatally shot at his workplace at the QFC in Wedgwood after police attempted to serve him with an arrest warrant.

Story

King County Executive Dow Constantine today ordered an inquest into the shooting death of Ariel Rosenfeld by a Seattle police officer on Aug. 16. Rosenfeld was fatally shot at his workplace at the QFC in Wedgwood after police attempted to serve him with an arrest warrant.

King County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg recommended the inquest after his office reviewed investigative materials from the Seattle Police Department.

Inquests are fact-finding hearings conducted before a six-member jury. Under a standing executive order they are routinely called to determine the causes and circumstances of any death involving a member of any law enforcement agency within King County while in the performance of his or her duties.

Inquests provide transparency into law enforcement actions so the public may have all the facts established in a court of law. The ordering of an inquest should carry no other implication. Inquest jurors answer a series of interrogatories to determine the significant factual issues involved in the case, and it is not their purpose to determine whether any person or agency is civilly or criminally liable.

The order signed by the Executive requests King County District Court Presiding Judge Barbara Linde to assign a judge who will set a date and conduct the inquest.

The ordering of inquests is a function vested in the county executive under the King County Code.

Read the executive order on Conducting Inquests in King County.