This afternoon, Seattle Police released a slew of additional information about Christopher Monfort, the suspect in the killing of Officer Timothy Brenton. Police said DNA collected from scene of an October 22 arson of police vehicles matches Monfort's DNA, and they found explosive devices and the modified rifle believed to have killed Brenton in Monfort's Tukwila apartment. Ballistics tests also matched bullets found at the murder scene with the rifle, police said.
Assistant Police Chief Jim Pugel said the arson at a police car parking lot in South Seattle could have been—and was designed by the suspect to be—much more destructive. Igniting two "mobile precincts" was allegedly designed to lure officers into a second, lethal explosion, Pugel said. Officers narrowly avoided the blast of two patrol cars because a facility employee led them in another direction after a suspect, he said. If responding officers had parked near the first explosion, "they would have likely been killed or seriously maimed," said Pugel.
Monfort's DNA sample came from a bandana with an American flag pattern, which Pugel said police picked up largely because it was an unusual item to find at a crime scene.
Before the arson, Seattle Police officers' last contact with Monfort was an October 15 traffic stop. A patrol car stopped Monfort in the Leschi neighborhood—he was then driving a dark green Ford, which looked a lot like a police cruiser—after he made a turn without signaling. The officers cited him for an expired insurance card, but there was no other incident at the time.
- The gun that allegedly killed Brenton
Prosecutors are preparing to file charges against Monfort in the next few days.
Police also released more details on Monfort's capture in Tukwila, as well as photographs of the improvised explosives found in his apartment, one of which was wrapped in pieces of metal police believe was designed to increase the amount of shrapnel fired off in an explosion.
More photographs from the suspect's apartment at the SPD Blotter.
