PoliceLink

News >> Browse Articles >> Officer Down News

Slain Officer's Family Thanks Community; Reward Increased

The reward for information that leads to an arrest in the slaying of Seattle police Officer Timothy Brenton is now up to $85,000, the Seattle Police Officers’ Guild announced Tuesday morning.

Police have also announced that a fund for Brenton’s family has been set up at Bank of America. Donations to the “Brenton Family Assistance Fund” can be made at any Bank of America branch, according to the Seattle Police Department.

During a news conference Tuesday afternoon, Assistant Police Chief Jim Pugel read a handwritten letter from the Brenton family in which they thanked the community and law enforcement for the outpouring of support they’ve received.

“Even with the tragic loss, Tim’s wife and children are finding solace in the support from the police community, their friends and family, and the community as a whole,” the statement said. “We know that Tim would be honored and humbled by the limitless support that has been provided at the difficult time.”

Pugel, reacting to the letter, said, “It makes you shake.”

Police are looking for possible ties between Saturday’s fatal shooting of Brenton in the Leschi area and the torching nine days earlier of four police vehicles at a city maintenance yard.

Both were “very well-planned and targeted attacks,” police spokesman Sgt. Sean Whitcomb said Monday as officials continued to investigate the shootings of Brenton and officer-trainee Britt Sweeney, who suffered minor injuries.

Police officials said Brenton and Sweeney, who came under fire while sitting in a parked patrol car, didn’t appear to be specifically targeted, but were stalked because they were police officers.

Pugel said the department has been flooded by tips, including some from people saying the shootings and Oct. 22 arson at the maintenance yard on South Charles Street were related.

“We don’t have any connection between this and the Charles Street arsons,” Pugel said. “It would be reckless if we didn’t look at any connection, that was again an attack against police property. It was bold. Because it happened contemporaneously with this, it would be foolish if we didn’t look at it.”

Pugel confirmed that officers are focusing on people who have a history of threatening police.

“We don’t have anything we can arrest on,” he said. “Quite frankly, officers are nervous” about their safety because “there’s nothing to explain why this occurred.”

Pugel said investigators still are reviewing video from the officers’ in-car camera to see if it can help lead them toward a suspect.

---