Pregnant Seattle Woman Shot and Killed by Police She Called for Assistance

Police said that when they arrived at her apartment, Lyles had a knife. Typically, that would be a one-officer call, but there was some information in the system, officers had dealt with this particular unit, this particular caller just recently. "My thoughts are with the many people impacted, including the three children and the responding officers", he said in a statement.

The officers can be heard talking to Lyles about the burglary on the audio recording of the incident.

One family member noted to the Times that Lyles was physically very small and that police could have instead used a taser or physical force to mitigate any potential threat from her. We're working so hard on complicated issues like mental health crisis intervention. and this is huge setback for all of us.... Lyles was the subject of a 2008 news story about how she entered a program for at-risk youth, using it to get off welfare and get a full-time job. All Seattle officers receive training on how to better handle those with mental illness or abusing drugs.

Charleena Lyles of Seattle was shot and killed by police at her home with her children present after she called 911 to report a possible break in. Authorities alleged that at some point, Lyles pulled out a knife, prompting the officers to shoot. She was released conditionally on June 14.

The two officers had gone to Lyles' apartment after a call about a burglary.

"She was asking them for help with her domestic violence and they wasn't giving her none". One child can be heard crying in the background during Sunday's incident. She says she has no idea.

"Get back! Get back!" an officer says, and a woman's voice responds, "Do it!" Then there's a four-second pause, followed by a sudden commotion - you can hear Lyles say, 'You ready?', she calls them an expletive, and the cops react, saying "We need help", presumably over their radios, and commanding someone to "get back".

There were several children inside the apartment during Sunday's incident, though they were uninjured, police said. The children - ages 10, 4, and 1 - are now in the care of family members.

The Seattle Police Department has a history of excessive use of force, according to a Justice Department assessment.

According to the Times, initial reports indicated that a man shot his wife, triggering a police call, though it was not immediately clear where that report came from. "They could have taken her down". Both officers will be placed on administrative leave during the investigation, authorities said. During that particular altercation, Lyles was armed with a pair of scissors, according to police reports.

Officers fired their weapons at Charlenna Lyles (above) in front of her children after seeing the 30-year-old holding a knife in the apartment of a low-income housing complex in Magnuson Park.