Testimony begins in inquest into Seattle police killing of Charleena Lyles

By Mike Carter
June 21, 2022

The jury in the coroner’s inquest into the death of Charleena Lyles heard wrenching testimony Tuesday about how one of Lyles’ young children had crawled on top of his mother, who lay face down and dying after being shot seven times by police.

Officers Jason Anderson and Steven McNew had responded to Lyles’ apartment the morning of June 18, 2017, after she reported a burglary. Just minutes after arriving, the officers say, Lyles produced a “knife or knives,” and the officers responded with orders to “get back!” and then a volley of gunfire.