by Colin Conway
“This morning’s events are still shrouded in secrecy, as police have yet to make a statement, but our investigative reporting team has uncovered some indications that this shooting may be the mirror image of the one in Philadelphia in which a white police officer fatally wounded a black man. Preliminary reports seem to indicate that the officer in this instance was black, while the man he shot and killed was white.”
The reporter signed off, and the anchor handed things over to a morning news panel. Talking heads soon filled the screen and began debating why there wasn’t outcry from the minority community about this shooting. “Don’t all lives matter?” one of the panelists asked.
Lofton glanced at Amanda. “Still think it was racist for us to put Clint on this case?”
“I don’t know,” she said softly staring at the words on the screen.
“Have we even cleared the scene of the shooting yet?” Mayor Sikes asked.
Lofton said, “No. That won’t happen for the rest of the day, at least.”
Sikes shook his head and sat down. “How are we going to get in front of this now?”
Lofton walked over to the coffee table and grabbed the list of Threats and Opportunities he made earlier. “I’ve got some ideas, sir.”
Chapter 8
Ty Garrett was cornered.
He’d put himself into a bad position and they spotted their opportunity immediately. They triangulated him, without effort or extra communication.
There was nothing for Garrett to do but brace for impact. They hit him at the same time, wrapping their arms around his legs, both squealing the same word. “Daddy!”
Garrett leaned down and scooped a kid up in each arm. Jake hugged him around his throat. Molly, the younger and smaller child, waited impatiently for her turn.
Angela Garrett walked slowly into the room, her eyes puffy from a night of mixed sleep and worry. She’d been up and down since Garrett had called her about the shooting.
“It’s barely six. Why are you two up?”
Angie moved to the coffee pot. “They can sense something is wrong.”
Garrett smiled at his children. “They’re not dogs.”
“No, they’re little people,” Angie said. “Jake knew something was wrong when I woke up after your phone call.”
“I’m sorry, Ang. I didn’t want you to see the news and worry.”
The two of them had embraced when he first returned home. That didn’t last long until little voices were heard in the other room and Angie broke away to check on them.
As the coffee percolated, Garrett played with his kids, giving them his full attention. When the coffee was done, Angie prepared herself a cup with cream. “Do you want one?”
Garrett nodded. “I’m really fading. The adrenaline is long gone so all I’ve got left is fumes.”
Angie pulled a mug and prepared his coffee with cream and sugar.
“All right, guys, Daddy needs to talk with Mommy for a minute.”
Garrett moved into the living room and sat on the couch. Angie joined him, handing him his coffee as she sat.
“Tell me what happened.”
Garrett nodded and gave her a detailed explanation of how the events unfolded. His cup was empty long before he was finished.
“You and Ray couldn’t find the gun?”
Garrett shook his head.
“You did the right thing, right?”
“Oh, yeah,” Garrett said, looking into his empty mug.
Angie grabbed his cup and went to the kitchen. Garrett found the television remote and turned on the local news. As expected, the scene of his shooting was getting heavy play from the local news channels.
The young reporter on the screen stood in front of the police tape, droning on about the nuts and bolts of the event. Garrett was more interested in the background of the scene. He could see two county detectives walking around the white Chrysler. He knew one, Shaun McNutt, from his days in the academy and the occasional crossover patrol call. The other was a female detective he’d never met. For a moment, he thought he’d get a fair shake by McNutt’s being assigned to the investigation.
Then Garrett’s back straightened, and his eyes narrowed. “Are you kidding me?”
“What?” Angie said, handing Garrett another cup of coffee.
He pointed at the TV with his free hand.
“Who do you see?” he asked.
“The reporter? I don’t know his name.”
“Look past him. In the background. The four-eyed brother with khakis and collared shirt.”
“Who is that?”
“That’s Wardell Clint. The detective I’ve told you about.”
“He doesn’t like you, right?”
“That self-righteous—” Garrett caught himself before he swore, seeing little faces peeking around the corner. “That self-righteous guy doesn’t like anyone.”
“What does this mean? Why do you think he was assigned to your case?”
Garrett shook his head. “It doesn’t work like that, Ang. All assignments are based on rotation. Next man up sort of thing, so this is luck of the draw.”
“Sounds like un-luck of the draw if you ask me.”
“Maybe. Besides, the county will be in charge of the investigation. Clint’s just shadowing them. He’s got no authority in this matter. No way he can stir the pot on this one.”
The TV reporter’s voice caught Garrett’s attention and he turned it up, “To repeat, there was an officer involved shooting shortly after midnight tonight. We’ve learned unofficially the officer is Tyler Garrett.” A photo popped up from the crowd showing Garrett sitting on the front steps with a blanket around his shoulders. Captain Farrell was sitting next to him. Garrett had an angry look on his face and Farrell was slightly taken aback. Someone in the crowd must have taken that photo.
“What was going on in that picture?” Angie said.
Before he could answer, the television displayed his department press photo on the screen. The reporter read his bio and finished by saying, “We’ve also learned that Garrett is scheduled to be awarded the Lifesaving Medal later this week in a ceremony at the department.”
“Can they just announce your name like that?” Angie’s voiced was tinged with anger.
Garrett nodded.
“That’s not right. Who could have told them that?”
Garrett smiled weakly. “They might have made the connection on their own with that photo. More than likely, someone in the crowd told them it was me. I grew up in that neighborhood. Some of the old timers could easily point me out.”
“Let’s turn it off,” Angie said.
“No. Just go to something else. I want to be distracted for bit. What’s on ESPN?”
Angie flicked the channel. As she went past CNN, Garrett stopped her. “What was that? Go back.”
She reversed to the cable news channel, and the last of Garrett’s smile faded completely.
“We’re on the national news?” Angie said, fear now in her voice. “Why do people care?”
Then Garrett realized how everyone else could perceive his shooting. The headline said it all.
Spokane, WA - Black Police Officer Shoots White Motorist.
Angie reached out and held his hand.
Garrett grabbed the remote and turned to MSNBC. They were also carrying a feed from their local news affiliate. The reporter was interviewing citizens, most of them black, about their thoughts on a black police officer being involved in a shooting.
“Maybe now some folks will wake up to what we’ve been going through,” a young black woman said. “The police been killing people a long time.”
Garrett lowered his head. “This isn’t good.”
“I know, baby.”
“If this is what the liberal news is reporting…” Garrett turned the channel to FOX News. The banner that was placed on the lower portion of the screen caused Angie to gasp.
Spokane, WA
- Black Police Officer Guns Down White Victim.
A panel of talking heads spouted off while video from his scene rolled in the upper right-hand corner of the screen.
The panel was made up of three white men and a white woman. One of the white men was clearly the token liberal. The majority of the panel was focused on the lack of outrage from the black community.
“Where’s the outcry?” one man said. “Where are the protests?”
“Wait a second,” the token liberal said. “The shooting occurred less than eight hours ago. They’re still investigating what occurred. Don’t you think they deserve some time to figure things out?”
The loudest of the remaining panel attacked him. “The black community doesn’t wait when the victim is black. Look at Philadelphia. They’re out in force.”
“That’s different. The video of that situation clearly shows—”
“The only difference I see is the color of the victim’s skin,” the blowhard panelist interrupted. “Look, the black community is outraged by what happened in Philadelphia, and maybe they should be. They’ll put their hands in their pockets over this one, you watch. They’re the first ones to tell us that Black Lives Matter. What about All Lives Matter? When will they support that?”
Garrett shook his head.
The screen switched back to the news room and the female reporter.
“We’ve got a breaking update to this story. Our local affiliate is reporting that the officer in this most recent shooting has been unofficially identified as Tyrone Garrett.”
Angie looked at him. “Tyrone?”
On the screen was the photograph of him sitting on the steps with Captain Farrell along with his department publicity photo.
“Again, we repeat. The black police officer involved in the shooting of a white victim has been identified as Tyrone Garrett.”
The feed switched back to the panel. The woman on the panel said, “Did you see that photo? Can you put that photo back up?”
The picture of Garrett’s brief flash of anger toward Captain Farrell filled half the screen.
The woman shook her head and turned to the television camera. “That is the face of a very angry man. Regardless of color, should a man like that be a police officer in our country?”
Garrett turned off the television.
“I’m sorry, baby,” Angie said as Garrett moved toward the bedroom.
He raised his hand but didn’t say a word.
Chapter 9
“Give me your tie.”
Cody Lofton ran his hand along his ninety-five-dollar David Fin. “Excuse me, sir?”
Mayor Andrew Sikes was getting ready in his office. He’d taken a shower in the basement of city hall and changed into his pants and undershirt. Now, he was finishing dressing in front of the full-length mirror.
“I forgot my tie at home and I can’t show up to this briefing without a tie.”
Lofton slowly pulled the tie loose and handed it to Sikes. The mayor quickly tied it and stepped back. The knot was haphazard and the tail too short. Sikes grabbed his jacket, quickly slipped into it and buttoned a single button. “There. Looks good, right?”
Lofton nodded.
Sikes checked his watch. “It’s about time.”
Almost on cue, Amanda Donahue walked into the office and announced, “Sir. The press has assembled. Chief Baumgartner and his staff are downstairs awaiting your arrival.”
The mayor patted Lofton on the shoulder. “Let’s go.”
The press briefing was initially scheduled to be held in the briefing room at the Spokane Police Department. However, in light of the story breaking nationally, Lofton had suggested a change to the front steps of city hall. The suggestion was easily accepted by Sikes and everyone else had to fall in line with the mayor.
Lofton smiled because he learned early in his tenure how to stage a summer interview in front of city hall. A lectern was placed at the entryway, leaving the mayor and his invitees in the shade. The media and other onlookers were put in the sun. It allowed the mayor a place of cool superiority and the longer the interview went, the more uncomfortable the reporters would get.
The day was scheduled to be in the high nineties with the morning temperature already in the low eighties. Not a cloud was expected. It would be hot on the concrete.
Lofton held open the exterior door and Mayor Sikes walked out and straight to the lectern. He turned and acknowledged Chief Baumgartner and Captain Farrell. Baumgartner looked impeccable as usual while Farrell was showing the effects of strain.
“Thank you for coming here this morning,” the mayor began. “As you’re aware, there was a tragic event in our East Central community this morning.”
The mayor’s face was still red from his early morning workout. Even in the shade, it made him look stressed and worried, despite his practiced tone.
While the mayor droned on, Amanda Donahue sidled up to Lofton. “Nice tie.”
Lofton reflexively reached for his missing tie and then glanced at her.
He whispered, “I’m sorry about earlier.”
“You should be,” she said without looking at him.
Lofton straightened and stared straight ahead.
The mayor wrapped up his opening comments. “At this time, I’d like to turn this over to Chief Baumgartner and have him bring you all up to speed.”
Baumgartner stepped to the lectern and started his briefing. He was a big man, softening around the middle with age, but it didn’t lessen his imposing aura. Baumgartner was authority and people naturally deferred to him. Lofton had heard rumors of some his exploits during his patrol days. The tales were meant to sully a man’s reputation. None of that stuck to Baumgartner, though. It did the opposite and made him somewhat of a mythical figure. The last of the old-school cops who tip-toed along the line between authority and brutality. While the union might challenge Baumgartner on legal issues, no one challenged him as a cop.
Baumgartner ran through the night’s events from the traffic stop to the shooting to the start of the investigation. He praised the sheriff’s office for their swift response and initial feedback.
At his direction, Captain Farrell held up a couple of blown-up photographs to show the damage to Ty Garrett’s police car. Bullet holes were circled. “As you can see,” Baumgartner explained, “the officer’s patrol vehicle was struck multiple times by gunfire.”
Through the briefing, the chief never once mentioned Garrett by name.
When he was finished, Baumgartner asked the assembled reporters, “Are there any questions?”
A male reporter raised his hand. “Curt May with The Inlander. Can you confirm the officer is Tyler Garrett?”
The chief shook his head. “No.”
“There are various news organizations reporting that the officer involved was Tyler Garrett. If his name is already out there, why won’t you confirm or deny?”
The chief stared at the reporter. “I said no. We’ll confirm the officer’s identity when it’s appropriate.”
“Sir,” a female reporter raised her hand.
“Shelly,” the chief said. Shelly Rand had recently interviewed the chief for a piece on community-oriented policing that was favorable to both the city and the department.
“Sir, why was your officer stopping the victim?”
“Good question. Initially, the traffic stop was for reckless driving. We don’t know exactly what that entails just yet. When we do, we will let you know. What we do know is that the suspect vehicle failed to stop when lawfully signaled to do so. When the suspect finally pulled over, that is when the shooting started.”
Kelly Davis from the Spokesman-Review raised her hand and blurted her question at the same time, “What type of gun was used by the victim?”
The chief nodded. “Good morning, Kelly. I can’t share what type of gun the suspect had. We will release all information at the appropriate time. Our investigators are still on scene
.”
“Was the victim shot in the back?”
The chief grimaced. Lofton caught the tick and was immediately angry. He had coached the chief and mayor prior to the briefing about the media saying victim. He knew they would set traps for them in their questioning. He constantly reminded them to wear a poker face and bluff if necessary. Chief Baumgartner just got caught with a hand full of garbage.
“I can’t comment on where the suspect was shot at this time, Kelly. The investigation has just started. I can only confirm that one suspect is deceased at the scene. Beyond that, we are still investigating. I’m sure we will give further briefings shortly to update everyone as the investigation proceeds and we learn more.”
“Follow up question,” Kelly Davis said. “When will the dash camera video be released?”
“The dash camera recordings of both officers are material pieces of evidence and will be released once the investigation is completed.”
“Isn’t the police car material evidence, too?” Davis asked. “You’ve released that. Why are you picking and choosing what to release, Chief?”
Baumgartner opened his mouth to reply but a TV reporter blurted out his question without being called upon. “How does this shooting compare to the one in Philadelphia just a few days ago?”
Baumgartner grimaced a second time. When he spoke, his jaw was set. “It doesn’t compare at all.”
Mayor Sikes looked at Lofton and jerked his head toward the chief.
Cody Lofton stepped toward the lectern and raised his hand. “Thank you for coming,” he said to the reporters. “No further questions. We’ll notify you of the next briefing.”
Kelly Davis yelled out, “Is it true the victim was unarmed?”
Several television cameras swung to her and then back to the chief. Lofton gently grabbed his arm and escorted him into the lobby of city hall.
Kelly Davis yelled once more, “Chief Baumgartner, is it true that you have not found the victim’s gun at this time?”
As soon as they were inside Mayor Sikes yanked the tie from his neck and crumbled it in his hand. He looked to Chief Baumgartner and Captain Farrell. “How in the hell does she know that?”
