The Department of Justice has opened a criminal inquiry into the fatal shooting of John T. Williams, a traditional Native woodcarver, by a police officer in Seattle, Washington.

Williams, who was a member of the Dididaht First Nation of British Columbia, was killed on August 30, 2010. The shooting was unjustified but the officer, Ian Birk, who resigned from the force, isn't being charged in Washington court for the incident.

"The Department was previously monitoring the local investigation and now that their review is complete, we will conduct an independent review of the facts to determine if the evidence indicates a prosecutable violation of federal criminal civil-rights laws," a spokesperson told The Seattle Times in a statement.

Additionally, the department has launched a "comprehensive investigation" into allegations of excessive force and discriminatory policing in Seattle.

"Based upon information gathered during our preliminary review, we believe a formal investigation is warranted to determine whether there has been a pattern or practice of violations of the Constitution or federal law," Assistant Attorney General Thomas Perez of the Civil Rights Division said in a conference call.

Get the Story:
Feds investigating officer's shooting of woodcarver (The Seattle Times 4/1)
Justice Department to investigate Seattle Police civil-rights practices (The Seattle Times 4/1)
Justice Department to Review Seattle Police’s Use of Force (The New York Times 4/1)

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