19-year-old stepson of former lawmaker charged with assaulting officer with baseball bat, planning SPD firebomb attacks

SEATTLE — The 19-year-old stepson of a former Washington State representative was charged Friday with the baseball bat assault of a Seattle bike officer, which was captured on video and seen around the world.

Prosecutors say Jacob B. Greenburg, who was previously charged with attempted arson and reckless burning, was also the protester seen in the video ambushing a rookie SPD bike officer from behind, slamming the officer in the head with a baseball bat.

The impact put a crack all the way through the officer’s helmet, according to SPD detectives. Greenburg was released weeks ago, but is now held on $750,000 bond, according to King County Jail records. Greenburg is the stepson of former State Rep. Laura Ruderman who served the 45th Legislative District as a Democrat from 1999 to 2005.

But King County prosecutors also accuse Greenburg of plotting sophisticated firebomb attacks on police buildings with a “protest buddy” who, according to court documents, turned out to be working as a local real estate agent.

Court charging documents indicate Greenburg set up elaborate plans and plots to burn SPD’s East Precinct during riots using Molotov cocktails. Detectives say they found text conversations between Greenberg and a woman they identified as Danielle E. McMillan of Everett regarding gathering materials to build the bombs.

Court documents indicate McMillan was working as a residential real estate agent in Woodinville. King County jail records indicate she is being held on $100,000 bond.

According to charging documents, texts between McMillan and Greenburg went on for several days in late September. In one message, McMillan texted Greenburg: “Thanks for being a good and loyal protest buddy.”

In one of Greenburg’s responses, he texted: “And can we like pls slit every spd throat.”

Prosecutors say the two were involved in riots and planned attacks on buildings from the East Precinct to the SPD Guild. In one text exchange, Greenburg asks:

Greenburg: "How many molotovs are you think we should have by Labor Day, cuz we shouldn’t over use our resources, ya dig?''

McMillan: “Well we should count on a couple failing, but as long as we plant it right, it can be cost effective? I think 10.”

Greenburg appears to admit to an arson attempt in another text: “I was the one who Molotov the East Precinct.”

Charging documents show Danielle McMillan texted Jacob Greenburg with a compliment after seeing the bat attack covered on TV:

McMillan: “Very proud of you.”

Greenburg: "Appreciate it. I’m proud too, hehe. Wish he didn’t have a helmet on, lol.

McMillan: “We’ll still a great shot though.”

According to prosecutors, both were arrested Friday and are high-priority cases stemming from days of riots and destruction.

“I think the seriousness we’ve seen here in these public court documents and what we’ve presented to a judge today, these are very concerning allegations,” said Casey McNerthney, spokesperson for the King Co. Prosecutor’s Office.

“These are among 24 cases we’ve filed, each of the cases we filed are very serious crimes,” he said. “And these actions are very different from peaceful protests.”

Cox Media Group