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One year ago today I left for a long day of work @seattlecenter.
By the end of the night @SeattlePD policy let one of our patrons bleed to death in a parking lot while the cops actively prevented paramedics from responding. #ACAB
His name was Paul Ervin Johnson.
(Slow Thread)
By the end of the night @SeattlePD policy let one of our patrons bleed to death in a parking lot while the cops actively prevented paramedics from responding. #ACAB
His name was Paul Ervin Johnson.
(Slow Thread)
Cops were present on the scene when the shot that hit Paul in the neck was fired.
Response time could have been essentially instant.
Why did it take a half hour for paramedics to treat Paul?
Because the patrons for this event were black kids. In Queen Anne.
2/
Response time could have been essentially instant.
Why did it take a half hour for paramedics to treat Paul?
Because the patrons for this event were black kids. In Queen Anne.
2/
It had been a long day:
The event was a combination 21st birthday party and a promotional event for our clients.
It was all ages, DJ stage downstairs, bar upstairs, courtyard open for dancing.
A couple hundred suburban kids having fun, dancing. There weren't any problems.
3/
The event was a combination 21st birthday party and a promotional event for our clients.
It was all ages, DJ stage downstairs, bar upstairs, courtyard open for dancing.
A couple hundred suburban kids having fun, dancing. There weren't any problems.
3/
The event ended at 2.
I was impressed how orderly efficiently the clients got everyone out at the end of the night.
We started our clean up, and I went to open the bollards to let the client get his vehicle onto campus.
I saw cop lights on Mercer, so I walked over to see.
4/
I was impressed how orderly efficiently the clients got everyone out at the end of the night.
We started our clean up, and I went to open the bollards to let the client get his vehicle onto campus.
I saw cop lights on Mercer, so I walked over to see.
4/
When I got to the curb, I saw a crowd and at least 2 SPD cars in the Diamond lot across from Zingaro.
That's when the shot was fired.
The crowd started screaming and running down Mercer.
My gut reaction was that cops had opened fire on the kids, I ran to the lot, yelling.
5/
That's when the shot was fired.
The crowd started screaming and running down Mercer.
My gut reaction was that cops had opened fire on the kids, I ran to the lot, yelling.
5/
When I got to the lot, there were 3 cop cars and maybe 2 dozen patrons in different clusters.
The cops were over by the little building with the main group...
It was a confused scene, lit by the flashing blue and red.
A crying young lady grabbed me asking for help.
6/
The cops were over by the little building with the main group...
It was a confused scene, lit by the flashing blue and red.
A crying young lady grabbed me asking for help.
6/
(CW graphic description)
I don't know why she grabbed me.
Because I was available, not doing anything else? Cause I was a middle aged white guy with a walkie on my shoulder?
She led me to where Paul lay, bleeding from his nose and mouth, a pool of it under his head and neck.
7/
I don't know why she grabbed me.
Because I was available, not doing anything else? Cause I was a middle aged white guy with a walkie on my shoulder?
She led me to where Paul lay, bleeding from his nose and mouth, a pool of it under his head and neck.
7/
I radioed back to the theater, that a patron had been shot, and four them to call an ambulance.
The venue radios don't have a ton of range, and I couldn't hear their response because of the sirens.
I left Paul to go approach an officer and tell him we had someone injured.
8/
The venue radios don't have a ton of range, and I couldn't hear their response because of the sirens.
I left Paul to go approach an officer and tell him we had someone injured.
8/
He told me people were on the way.
And indeed, every moment there were more and more cops showing up.
Rifles were beginning to appear in their hands.
Crime scene tape was beginning to be strung.
But no one was helping Paul.
Our patrons, his friends, were returning...
9/
And indeed, every moment there were more and more cops showing up.
Rifles were beginning to appear in their hands.
Crime scene tape was beginning to be strung.
But no one was helping Paul.
Our patrons, his friends, were returning...
9/
People were begging the increasing crowd of cops for help. I heard a window break.
I radioed the theater again, telling them we need an ambulance.
I was told there were plenty of police on scene, I responded the cops weren't doing anything, and to call an ambulance!
10/
I radioed the theater again, telling them we need an ambulance.
I was told there were plenty of police on scene, I responded the cops weren't doing anything, and to call an ambulance!
10/
This is one reason why decoupling 911 and emergency response from the cops is critical.
We didn't need am army of cops, we just needed a single ambulance.
#DefundSPD
I headed back toward Paul, and saw one of our clients on the ground with several cops on top of him...
11/
We didn't need am army of cops, we just needed a single ambulance.
#DefundSPD
I headed back toward Paul, and saw one of our clients on the ground with several cops on top of him...
11/
I tried to communicate with the cops, but they were ignoring me and looking for the source of blood as they restrained him.
Instead I laid down to talk to him as the cop on his head pushed his face into the ground.
He calmed down, being addressed, and told me his arm was cut.
12/
Instead I laid down to talk to him as the cop on his head pushed his face into the ground.
He calmed down, being addressed, and told me his arm was cut.
12/
I relayed that to the cops, telling them that this wasn't the guy they were looking for. That he wasn't here when the shooting occurred because he was at the theater with me, he was one of our clients.
The magic of middle aged white guy with a radio!
They listened to me.
13/
The magic of middle aged white guy with a radio!
They listened to me.
13/
They De-escalated, easing up, rolling him over, and looking for/ beginning to address his cut arm.
I heard another window break. The crowd of kids that had been our patrons were growing angry at the police response. Rightfully so.
Lines had gone up as if it were a protest.
/14
I heard another window break. The crowd of kids that had been our patrons were growing angry at the police response. Rightfully so.
Lines had gone up as if it were a protest.
/14
The entire parking lot had crime scene tape strung up now.
There was a line of cops with assault rifles lining the parking lot now, facing the crowd, backs to Paul's body & the group of his friends surrounding him, crying for him to hold on, reassuring him that it'd be ok.
/15
There was a line of cops with assault rifles lining the parking lot now, facing the crowd, backs to Paul's body & the group of his friends surrounding him, crying for him to hold on, reassuring him that it'd be ok.
/15
I was still inside the lines too.
I returned to Paul, and asked a passing cop why no one was helping him.
I was told that if I really wanted to help, I would get Paul's friends outside the police line so paramedics could respond, then he scurried off to join the line.
/16
I returned to Paul, and asked a passing cop why no one was helping him.
I was told that if I really wanted to help, I would get Paul's friends outside the police line so paramedics could respond, then he scurried off to join the line.
/16
So I did.
I returned to the group around Paul's body and told them cops would let the paramedics in if we'd leave.
A sobbing girl didn't want to leave. I helped the group of her friends escort her toward the ambulance now parked on Mercer as paramedics entered the lines.
17/
I returned to the group around Paul's body and told them cops would let the paramedics in if we'd leave.
A sobbing girl didn't want to leave. I helped the group of her friends escort her toward the ambulance now parked on Mercer as paramedics entered the lines.
17/
This group of crying young people who spent the entire time up until now begging for someone, ANYONE, to help Paul is who the police would characterize to the news as "interfering with life saving efforts"
I read in another paper that police performed CPR.
Cops lie.
18/
I read in another paper that police performed CPR.
Cops lie.
18/
No cop EVER attempted to help Paul.
None of them looked at him longer than it took to determine he wasn't a threat as he lay there bleeding to death, then they returned to the very important task of mounting a militarized response to black kids in Lower Queen Anne.
19/
None of them looked at him longer than it took to determine he wasn't a threat as he lay there bleeding to death, then they returned to the very important task of mounting a militarized response to black kids in Lower Queen Anne.
19/
Her friends told me the sobbing girl was Malia, Paul's girl and the mother of his baby... She was who had originally grabbed me and asked for help.
She asked now whether Paul would be ok.
I watched CPR finally being performed, and told her I didn't know.
20/
She asked now whether Paul would be ok.
I watched CPR finally being performed, and told her I didn't know.
20/
The truth is I think Paul died while we were still crowded around him begging SPD for help.
I told her I was going to try and get her on the ambulance with Paul, and returned to the line to let several officers on the Mercer side know I had the victim's wife with me.
21/
I told her I was going to try and get her on the ambulance with Paul, and returned to the line to let several officers on the Mercer side know I had the victim's wife with me.
21/
I moved to tell the cops on the Warren side the same, as there was another ambulance there now.
Kids were demanding to know why it took so long to get help.
I saw cops with rifles shoving kids down. I moved to the line, outraged, when a hand grabbed and stopped me.
22/
Kids were demanding to know why it took so long to get help.
I saw cops with rifles shoving kids down. I moved to the line, outraged, when a hand grabbed and stopped me.
22/
It was one of the clients security guys.
He shook his head and said, "it's scary on that side of the line too."
I saw the paramedics putting Paul on a gurney, so I went back to get Malia.
We moved to the Warren ambulance where they were loading Paul.
Again...
23/
He shook his head and said, "it's scary on that side of the line too."
I saw the paramedics putting Paul on a gurney, so I went back to get Malia.
We moved to the Warren ambulance where they were loading Paul.
Again...
23/
Being the middle aged white guy got people to listen, sort of.
I told a paramedic I had the wife, she wanted to ride along.
He agreed, and told me take her up front.
I did, but the ambulance started to pull out without her. I banged on the hood saying I had the wife...
24/
I told a paramedic I had the wife, she wanted to ride along.
He agreed, and told me take her up front.
I did, but the ambulance started to pull out without her. I banged on the hood saying I had the wife...
24/
A cop screamed at me and pointed his assault rifle at my face.
The ambulance left and I ran with Malia and her friends to a car in the lot behind Zingaro, and they loaded up to follow to the hospital.
I walked back down Mercer to go back to the theater and finish work.
25/
The ambulance left and I ran with Malia and her friends to a car in the lot behind Zingaro, and they loaded up to follow to the hospital.
I walked back down Mercer to go back to the theater and finish work.
25/
I have never seen so many cops in Queen Anne. Never was a parking lot of cop cars parked 3 abreast, from Warren down past the Opera.
Heard later that cops from all 5 precincts responded...
To a single shot. To a small crowd of crying kids.
Because they were black.
26/
Heard later that cops from all 5 precincts responded...
To a single shot. To a small crowd of crying kids.
Because they were black.
26/
*Mercer was a parking lot.
I got back to the theater to a distressed and subdued group, staff and clients both resumed the load out in shock.
The young man with the cut arm returned. I told him I was glad he hadn't been arrested then took him backstage to dress his wounds.
27/
I got back to the theater to a distressed and subdued group, staff and clients both resumed the load out in shock.
The young man with the cut arm returned. I told him I was glad he hadn't been arrested then took him backstage to dress his wounds.
27/
I didn't know Paul.
I didn't know any of these kids.
I don't know how it started.
There WAS some sort of fight, originally.
The cops responded to something, something resulted in another kid shooting Paul.
Doesn't matter. I was on the scene shortly after the shooting...
28/
I didn't know any of these kids.
I don't know how it started.
There WAS some sort of fight, originally.
The cops responded to something, something resulted in another kid shooting Paul.
Doesn't matter. I was on the scene shortly after the shooting...
28/
There was never any reason to delay paramedics.
The crowd wasn't hostile, there was no huge melee, there were scared, upset kids who didn't understand why no one was helping their friend.
Racism and SPD's policies killed Paul as surely as the bullet did.
29/
The crowd wasn't hostile, there was no huge melee, there were scared, upset kids who didn't understand why no one was helping their friend.
Racism and SPD's policies killed Paul as surely as the bullet did.
29/
And I want to end with owning my responsibility.
I've received multiple levels of CPR/first aid training, some sort of course every few years my entire adult life.
It never occurred to me to administer aid myself until the thought woke me the next day.
That haunts me.
30/
I've received multiple levels of CPR/first aid training, some sort of course every few years my entire adult life.
It never occurred to me to administer aid myself until the thought woke me the next day.
That haunts me.
30/
I don't know why... it's not who I thought I was.
I don't know if I would have been able to change the outcome, but I'll always feel guilty that I didn't get down and try.
I'm sorry Paul.
I'm sorry Malia.
That's not how it should have happened. I'm sure of that, though.
31/
I don't know if I would have been able to change the outcome, but I'll always feel guilty that I didn't get down and try.
I'm sorry Paul.
I'm sorry Malia.
That's not how it should have happened. I'm sure of that, though.
31/
This racist for of policing as first responders is unacceptable.
It guaranteed a young man's death, and another baby growing up without a father.
I'm sure if we'd had the policies in place put forward by #DefundSPD, Paul would've had a much greater chance of living.
32/
It guaranteed a young man's death, and another baby growing up without a father.
I'm sure if we'd had the policies in place put forward by #DefundSPD, Paul would've had a much greater chance of living.
32/
This thread took longer than I thought.
Paul was 22 years old. He should be here now.
I'm sorry I didn't do more.
Rest in power, Paul.
#DefundSPD
#AbolishThePolice
#ACAB
Paul was 22 years old. He should be here now.
I'm sorry I didn't do more.
Rest in power, Paul.
#DefundSPD
#AbolishThePolice
#ACAB
