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7.24.2017

"Tommy deserves justice and closure."

Donate to the family of Tommy Le, who was killed by police while holding a pen.


Photo Credit: seattlepi.com

In Washington state, 20-year-old Tommy Le was shot and killed by King County Sheriff's deputies on June 13 -- the day before he was supposed to graduate from an alternative high school program. Officers were responding to a call about a man armed with what they thought was a knife. He turned out to be holding a pen.

'My baby is kind': Family tries to make sense of young man's killing by deputies in Burien

It's been over a month since the shooting, but Le's family and the local Vietnamese American community still don't have satisfactory answers about what transpired on the night he died. Last week, community members held a public forum to seek answers from the sheriff's office and other elected officials about Le's death.

Many in attendance at the forum questioned King County Sheriff John Urquhart on the details of shooting, pointing out inconsistencies in the deputies' account. Others urged for increased de-escalation training and accountability for police in cases of deadly force.

Urquhart said that the Sheriff's Office will ask the FBI to take over investigation of the shooting.



Meanwhile, loved ones have organized an online fundraiser for Le's family to help with funeral and legal expenses in the coming months as they seek justice for Tommy. Any unused funds will be donated to charity.

Donate here: Justice for Tommy Le