SEATTLE — On July 13, 2026, an inquest began into the death of Ryan Smith, the man shot and killed by Seattle police in 2019, to determine whether it was what the court deems “justified homicide.”
The first of many hearings happening this week started Monday morning and spanned the entire day. That’s expected to be the case through Friday, as experts, witnesses, and law enforcement authorities are questioned.
This week’s inquest is part of a more than 7-year investigation into the circumstances surrounding Smith’s death.
The incident took place back on May 8, 2019. Police bodycam shows officers kicking in a door, following a 911 call from a woman who said her boyfriend was threatening to kill her.
Video released from the day shows 31-year-old Smith raising a knife and taking a step forward when two officers open fire, hitting him multiple times.
“This was a pretty significant injury, and I would suspect that he would’ve had immediate, significant neurologic deficits,” testified Dr. Brian Mazrim, the attending pathologist. “So I think it would have been very likely immediately capacitating.”
At the time, Rose Johnson, Smith’s mother, said her son had a substance abuse problem and dealt with depression.
She claims police should have recognized that and tried to engage her son through dialogue.
To be clear, this week’s inquest is to determine whether the two officers who opened fire were reasonably justified in doing so. According to King County, homicide is justified when it’s believed the person intended to inflict bodily injury, those responsible believed that danger was imminent, and, in this case, the shooters employed the same force and means as any reasonable person would.
While several witnesses heard the incident, without doorbell cameras on any of the neighboring apartments, the bodycam video from police is the only footage.
“There were neighbors who heard interactions between the officers and the subject,” notes SPD Detective Elizabeth Kennedy. “There was even one individual who, as the door was being kicked, stuck his head out the door, and one of the officers told him to go back in the apartment. So a lot of people heard things, but nobody actually saw the shooting.”
In May 2024, King County released a ‘Use of Force Fatality Report’, classifying the incident as a homicide. Smith suffered multiple gunshot wounds, including to the neck, shoulder, and torso.
After administrative review, it was determined that SPD training and policy protocol had been properly followed.
“As part of an officer-involved shooting investigation, we typically will have the involved officers stand by at the scene,” says Crime Scene Investigator and Detective Raymond Turner. “We’ll photograph the officers in what they’re wearing. We’ll examine their firearms if they were used, and we’ll do a round count, in which we count all the bullets that are still in the gun.”
The Seattle Office of Police Accountability called the deadly force “legal and proper.”
The inquest is expected to last the rest of the week, and from there, we’ll see what their findings conclude and whether they warrant additional action.
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