This afternoon, Seattle Police confirmed that they believe Christopher J. Monfort, the man shot and arrested in Tukwila yesterday, is responsible for murdering officer Timothy Brenton. Here's part of the statement issued this afternoon:

On the afternoon of November 6th , 2009, Seattle Police Homicide detectives received a tip about a Datsun 210 matching the description of a possible suspect vehicle used in the slaying of Officer Tim Brenton. Detectives responded to a parking lot in the 13700 block of 56th Avenue South in Tukwila. While detectives were investigating the scene further an adult male suspect emerged and pointed a gun at them. Detectives fired on the suspect in self defense, striking him at least once. [...]

SPD detectives obtained search warrants to further examine the crime scene. Evidence located inside the suspect’s apartment included improvised explosive devices (IEDs), a rifle, and various other items of evidence. Detectives now believe that this individual is responsible for both the murder of Officer Brenton, the attempted murder of Officer Sweeney, and the arson attack on October 22nd at the Charles Street facility. Detectives are asking the Prosecutor’s Office for formal charges. The Datsun that detectives were looking for is registered to the suspect. Our investigation into the murder of Officer Tim Brenton and attempted murder of Officer Britt Sweeney continues and we are still receiving and following up on tips.

In a news briefing today, Seattle Police assistant chief Jim Pugel called Monfort "a lone domestic terrorist."

Slog commenter Jane Doe points to this program from the 2007 Annual Spring Research Conference put on by the UW's Office of Minority Affairs and The Graduate School’s Graduate Opportunities and Minority Achievement Program, in which Christopher Monfort provides an abstract of his project titled The Power of Citizenship your Government doesn’t want You to know about. How to change the inequity of the Criminal Justice System immediately, through Active Citizen Nullification of Laws, as a Juror. Bottom of page 25:

This study seeks to illuminate and further the relatively unknown legal scholarship of Professor Paul Butler, in the area of Jury Nullification. My objectives are three fold. (1.) To explain in detail what jury Nullification is. (2.) Inform fellow citizens as to the history of Jury Nullification both Conceptual and Actual. (3.) Give clear succinct descrip- tions of a Citizens Rights, Duties and Protections with regards to effectuating change, through said Jury Nullifica- tion. I believe that once citizens are enlightened as to the extent of their individual power. These enlightened citizens cannot help but spread their knowledge to others, effectuating positive change at an exponential rate. Much like the elation and excitement of the young eaglet, that realizes it can fly for the first time.

More details on the shooting in Tukwila this afternoon:

The P.I. is reporting that the man shot in Tukwila this afternoon is in fact a suspect in the Halloween killing of Officer Brenton—the suspect is in critical condition at Harborview after being shot in the head, according to the Seattle Times.

The suspect is 41-year-old UW student Christopher J. Monfort. He's been studying criminal justice, of all things.

Police received a tip about the car they were looking for and waited for Munfort to approach it.

Three detectives confronted Monfort at the apartment complex later Friday afternoon. He turned and ran, then pulled out a handgun and pointed it at police, King County Sheriff's Office Sgt. John Urquhart said.

"For some reason, it did not go off," Urquhart said. "I don't know if he tried to fire it."

Monfort allegedly then ran a short distance again, and had another confrontation before he was shot at least twice, police said.

Investigators did not say how many officers were involved or how many shots were involved.

On 10-30-09, Officer Dirk Patin filed this report:

"I arrived and contacted victim, an Asian female. She was standing just outside of the Starbucks. She gave the following account: At approximately 10:30 pm, she was inside the Starbucks on 12th Av. She was there to meet an unknown black male from the internet. She saw a [black male] seated by himself on the southside of the store. She approached him and asked: "Do you happen to be waiting for anyone?" The black male responded by asking if she needed any help? He then quickly seemed angry when she told him, "No." The black male asked why she had approached him? At that point, she left his table, after apologizing, and walked to another table.

Immediately [the black male] stood and started yelling: "Why did you approach me? Are you a US citizen? Where do you live?" He then walked over to her and accused her of being a terrorist. He then ordered her to leave the store. She got up from the table and tried to leave for her safety. The suspect started pushing her with both hands. She walked out of the store and the suspect pushed her three more times on the back. [Finally], another male stopped the suspect from continuing his verbal and physical assault. The suspect then walked back into the Starbucks.

The suspect's account was similar to the victim's, but he added that he was offended by the victim because he thought she was a prostitute... Ofc Ducre read the suspect [his rights] and then transported him to the East Precinct. I responded to the East Precinct and completed the necessary paperwork. Sgt Guballa screened the arrest and the suspect subsequently was booked into KCJ for Assault.

With this section:

Cleveland, Ohio (CNN) — Authorities have identified one of 11 bodies found at a Cleveland, Ohio, home as a 52-year-old woman who had been missing for about a year.

Tonia Carmichael's remains were found at the home of Anthony Sowell, but the news was no surprise to Carmichael's family members. Tonia Carmichael was last seen on November 10, 2008, police said in a statement Wednesday...

In the missing persons report, Carmichael's mother, Barbara, told police her daughter was addicted to crack and had previously disappeared for several days at a time. But she said she believed something had happened to her because she had not picked up two paychecks.

...and this section:

As police work to identify the other victims, many in Sowell's neighborhood wonder how they could have missed the signs of the violence. For some time, some in the area said they complained about a foul smell that permeated the neighborhood, turning the stomachs of residents and curtailing their outdoor activities.

"We used to think that it was coming from out of Ray's Sausage," said one resident. "But you smell these smells, and I live right there and ... we used to come out here and oh, these smells would just be horrible."

Ray's Sausage Co. replaced a sewer line and grease traps, trying to rid the area of the stench. But the stench, of course, stayed until police found the bodies at Sowell's house adjacent to the sausage company.

A statement of thanks, released today on the Seattle Police Department's blog:

The family of Officer Tim Brenton would like to thank the community for the tremendous outpouring of support. Even with the tragic loss, Tim’s wife and children are finding solace in the support from the police community, their friends and family, and the community as a whole. We know that Tim would be honored and humbled by the limitless support that has been provided at the difficult time. We sincerely thank you for the generous emotional support, thoughts, and prayers.

Jonah Spangenthal-Lee, formerly a reporter for The Stranger, has transcribed the radio call from Officer Britt Sweeney after her partner, Officer Timothy Brenton, was murdered Saturday night. Read it at SeattleCrime.com. "Now's not the time to put the audio up—nerves are still too raw, and the call is truly heartrendingly horrific," Jonah writes.

• Kelly O
• A memorial at the site of last night's killing.

The mayor, Greg Nickels, walked into the briefing room at Seattle Police headquarters downtown this afternoon wearing a dark suit and grim face. Behind him, four of the city's top-ranking officers, all wearing black bands over their badges.

“We ask you to do a difficult and dangerous job, and you do it every day with excellence," Nickels said, addressing both the officers behind him and the entire Seattle police force. "Please know that you are not alone in this difficult time.”

Nickels announced the name of the eight-year Seattle police department veteran who was gunned down last night while parked in a patrol car in Leschi: Timothy Brenton, 39.

The mayor called the incident "a cold-blooded, premeditated shooting."

Brenton had a wife and two children, ages 8 and 11, and came from a family that is filled with people devoted to public safety. His father is a retired Seattle police officer. So is his uncle. His brother-in-law works for the Seattle Fire Department.

Last night, after completing a traffic stop at around 9:30 p.m., Brenton and a police department trainee, Brit Sweeney, had parked their patrol car on 29th Avenue near Yesler Way. They were discussing how the stop had gone. "Debriefing," said Jim Pugel, the city's chief detective, as he recounted what police currently understand about the conversation and the subsequent events.

The patrol car was facing south. A small car—whitish or light-blue or silvery in color—approached from behind. As this car pulled up alongside the officers' patrol car, Sweeney sensed danger. She shouted. She ducked. An unknown number of shots, fired from an unknown weapon, slammed into the patrol car, killing Brenton instantly. One of the bullets grazed Sweeney's back, even though she was wearing a protective vest beneath her uniform.

Sweeney called for backup. All available officers in the city responded. She got out of the patrol car and fired back. She'd been on the job as a trainee for a total of six months. Pugel said she showed the coolness and good instincts of a ten-year veteran.

The vehicle the shots came from, containing an unknown number of people, backed up, drove away, and disappeared.

"It's a miracle she's alive," Pugel said of Sweeney. “This was an assassination, and every resource is being used to bring it to a conclusion.”

• Kelly O
• The police procession this afternoon, delivering the body of Timothy Brenton to the Bonney-Watson funeral home on Broadway.

Seattle Police will provide more information about last night's tragic shooting of two officers, one fatal, sometime this afternoon. Police haven't yet settled on a time for their press briefing, according to SPD spokesman Mark Jamieson. We'll have someone there and will post an update as soon as we have more information. (The Seattle Times appears to have the most detailed info this morning).

In the meantime, this is just devastatingly sad. Police officers are the gutsiest people on our streets, our closest approximations of Supermen and Wonder Women. That someone would shoot two of them—while they're just sitting in a parked patrol car—makes my heart bleed. (Yes, I know that not every officer is an angel, but we have a good bunch in Seattle and no cop, or anyone, deserves this.) Homicide detectives are out in force, doing whatever magic they do to catch the fucking scum who shot these two. But what do we do—us ordinary folks who aren't superheroes?

UPDATE: Seattle Police will hold a press briefing at 3:00 p.m. Eli will post the details.

UPDATE 2: The Seattle Times reports that the victim was nine-year police veteran Timothy Brenton, 39, who was married and had two young kids, according to the officer's uncle.

My apartment overlooks I-5. About a half hour ago, I saw about 20 squad cars rushing down I-5 South, sirens blaring. Seattle Times is reporting that an officer was shot shortly after 10 pm between 29th & Yesler Way, and that his condition is unknown.

On Oct 26, 2009, Officer Philip Ocker filed this report about an incident that happened near the heart of Beacon Hill:

I arrived at the location and contacted victims. They stated that they were inside cleaning the business—victim one was in the kitchen area and victim two was in the back room of the business. At around 7:48 pm, victim one heard the door chime and went into the salon area. She observed two subjects wearing ski masks and dressed in all black. Both subjects were holding black handguns. One of the subjects approached victim and grabbed her by the shirt and ordered her to go to the floor. Both subjects were demanding money. Victim one handed one of the subjects all of the cash she had on her person, approx $100.00.

Victim two heard the commotion and went to victim one's location. He entered the room and was contacted by one of the subjects and ordered, at gun point, to walk back into the back of the business. That subject went with victim two to the back rooms. Once there the subject ordered victim two to the floor.

Victim one was on the floor in the main room of the business. She noticed that one of the subjects had gone into the kitchen and was not paying attention to her. Victim one stood up and ran out of the business, across the street, to the Shell gas station at 2424 Beacon Av S and called 911. Once the subject discovered that victim one had fled the business, he ran out of the business towards S Bayview St. The subject in the back room with victim two heard the other subject flee and he also fled the business. Victim two then called 911. He believed that the subjects fled eastbound on S Bayview St. He stated that after the suspects fled the business they heard what sounded like two gun shots.

Via The Atlantic:

I really don’t give a fuck. Look, am I going to sit and weep every time a young hooker feels as though she’s been taken advantage of?

On Oct 20, 2009, Officer Richard K. Jackson filed this report about an incident that happened in the Pike Place Market:

[I recieved] complaint of a B/M [black male] trying to sell metered parking tickets to lot customers for cash, after purchasing tickets with a stolen credit card. [Complaintant had] approached the suspect, identified himself as security and grabbed his shoulder to detain him. The suspect turned and struck C in the face with his elbow. C attempted to get control of the S, and both fell to the ground. The S rose up, and C grabbed S's leg to prevent his escape. The S kneed C on the right side of the face. C was assisted by a witness, who had seen C assaulted by the S. S was held on the ground by C and W until police arrived.

This is so horrible. Truly, horrible:

A California high school student who police said was gang raped in a two-and-a-half-hour assault outside a homecoming dance remained hospitalized in stable condition Monday, two days after she was flown from the attack scene in critical condition...

...Investigators said as many as 15 people, all males, stood around watching the assault, but did not call police or help the victim, a 15-year-old student at Richmond High School in suburban San Francisco.

Officer Terry Whalen filed this report on 10/16/09:

I was dispatched to the area of N 105th St and Aurora Ave N regarding the report of an armed robbery that had just occurred at that location. Radio informed responding units that the viticm had reported being robbed at gun point by two suspects in an SUV. Radio dispatched the description of the suspect vehicle as a blue Ford Expedition, and stated the suspect with the gun (passenger) was a black male in his 30's, 6-00 with a slim build, wearing a tan jacket, white shirt, and blue jeans. Radio stated that the driver of the suspect vehicle was a white male in his 30's, 5-10 with a heavy build, blonde hair and a blonde mustache, wearing dark clothing.

[The victim] gave suspect 1 [the black male] $20.00, and the vehicle sped off. The victim told me that he and his friends ran westbound on N 105th St to see if they could find the vehicle, and said that he thought he saw it N/B on Evanston Ave N from N 108th Street... Several officers responded to the area of this call to assist on an area check for the suspect vehicle, but that vehicle was not located.

The tattoo on Amanda's back...

The Italian press did write about her tattoo the day after she wore the shirt that showed it in court. They reported that her mother and sister have the same tattoo — that they all got it together to mark some occasion (graduation I think?).

Just as I was about to completely lose interest in the sempiternal case of Amanda Knox, I came across this detail:

But what is truly amazing about this tattoo is its absence from the stream of news reports that began to flow into the English-speaking world two years ago—the murder of Meredith Kercher happened in Perugia on November 2, 2007. This sun, this descendant of spectacular stars that exploded and spread the heavy stuff of their guts into deep space—this of all things is on the top of her back. (Yes, just what I was thinking...if only it were a black spider.)

As for her being lynched by the Italian public, as a crazed lawyer recently stated on Larry King Live: if this is the case, if the evidence against Amanda is so weak, why doesn't Meredith Kercher's parents side with the Knoxes? Really, it's as simple as that. If Rudy Guede is without a doubt the only killer, why can't the Kerchers see this as clearly as the Knoxes? Are the Kerchers just blind? Plain/playing dumb? Downright criminal—they want to keep a harmless Bambi in prison? When I see the Kerchers defending Amanda, and not some nutty lawyer who basically calls the Italians a bunch of baboons, I will be convinced of Amanda's innocence.

The fate of Mr. Tait, The Happy Horseman, the man who drove Mr. Hands, Kenneth Pinyan, to the hospital after he had sex with the last horse in his life?

A former Washington state man who was convicted of trespassing at a Enumclaw farm where a man suffered fatal injuries while having sex with a horse in 2005 is now accused of sex crimes with animals at a Tennessee farm.

James Tait, 58, was arrested and charged Thursday with three counts of felony animal cruelty.

Here The Happy Horseman speaks at the six-minute mark of Zoo: