Tacoma police chief shoots wife, kills himself

Seattle Post-Intelligencer ^

[ATCNavyRetiree]

Tacoma police chief shoots wife, kills himself

By LEWIS KAMB, PHUONG CAT LE, ANGELA GALLOWAY and RUTH TEICHROEB SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTERS

GIG HARBOR - Tacoma's police chief shot his wife and then himself in the parking lot of a strip mall Saturday afternoon while the couple's two young children were nearby.

David Brame died at St. Joseph's Hospital in Tacoma about 6 p.m. His wife Crystal was in critical condition at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

On Friday, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reported that Crystal Brame, 35, had obtained a temporary restraining order in February against her husband. In subsequent court papers, she had accused him of pointing his service revolver at her and trying to choke her during two separate incidents in the past six months.

The couple were going through a divorce.

Brame, a veteran officer who rose through the ranks to become chief in January 2002, denied those allegations in court papers filed in King County Superior Court last month.

Saturday's shooting happened at about 3:10 p.m., said Pierce County sheriff's spokesman Ed Troyer.

"We don't believe other people are involved," Troyer said. "The victims were the chief of the Tacoma Police Department and his wife. We believe he shot her and then shot himself."

Crystal Brame was in a black Toyota Camry with the couple's two children when David Brame approached the vehicle, authorities said. The two had arranged to meet in the shopping mall parking lot. David Brame took the two children - 8-year-old Haley and 5-year-old David - to his burgundy Toyota Camry, which was parked nearby. He then returned to the car Crystal Brame was in. He got in also and a short time later two shots were fired, authorities said.

NOTE: This story has been updated since it was originally posted.

"The kids were screaming," said Kirsten Oakland, who works in a hair salon at the mall. "Who would have thought? Awful. This affected the entire community in a split second."

An off-duty King County paramedic was the first to arrive on the scene and begin treatment.

"It appeared she (Crystal) managed to open the door and fell down to the ground," Troyer said. "And the paramedic pulled up right next to her in the car."

Neither child was hurt. They were with their mother's parents Saturday night, Troyer said.

George Sharp, a supervisor for the Rite Aid store, said almost nobody in the store actually heard the shooting. Many learned of it from customers and employees coming in for their shifts who had learned about the shooting from news reports.

"A lot of people expressed shock that it did happen in Gig Harbor and the customers and the employees wish that it hadn't happened but they didn't really feel any more threatened as they would if it were a drive-by or it were a random act," Sharp said.

"I think that people are saddened it got to that stage and unhappy that it happened here, and unhappy that it happened at all."

Troyer said one of the Brame children got out of the car and went into a nearby Hollywood Video store. Witnesses took the other child to the store too.

Jesse Hentz, assistant manager of the Hollywood Video, said: "I feel really bad. And I want the family to know that people care about them."

In court papers, Crystal Brame portrayed her husband as controlling and jealous, refusing to let her use their credit card without permission and checking her car's odometer to monitor trips to the grocery store.

She also accused him of leaving his loaded service revolver on a bedroom shelf within reach of their two children.

Her fear increased last November when she alleged that the 44-year-old Brame "choked me and threatened that he could snap my neck if he wanted to." It was the fourth time that year he'd tried to choke her, each time sending flowers later to apologize, she said.

And just before they separated in February, she alleged in court documents that Brame pointed his service revolver at her, "telling me 'accidents happen.' "

She did not report either incident to police.

David Brame had maintained he was the real victim of domestic violence during his 11-year marriage. He said he reported the assaults to police -- first to his boss, then-interim Chief Ken Monner and to an officer who photographed his bruises; then to police in Gig Harbor, where he was living at the time.

Both times David Brame insisted that police not arrest his wife or even investigate his allegations - even though a state law requires officers to arrest anyone accused of domestic violence if the complaint is credible.

He explained his unusual behavior in court documents by saying he wanted to "protect himself" in case his wife ever tried to malign him with false abuse allegations.

Tacoma City Councilman Mike Lonergan, who sits on the council's public safety committee, said he had a hard time believing the shooting had happened.

"We knew David from his professional side. This is a total shock," Lonergan said Saturday. "He presented himself as a very together person, business-like and very likeable. This entire thing is hard to grasp."

Although Lonergan said the usually outgoing Brame had been withdrawn and seemed depressed lately, he had no idea what was going on at home.

"To know David Brame took the action he did today shows that there was a whole lot beneath the surface we couldn't see," Lonergan said.

Ken Bunting, executive editor of the P-I, said "this is a tragic development in lives that, from all accounts, have been troubled for quite some time. These events are not only painful for the family, but for the community and all who have the responsibility to ask the difficult questions about it. Domestic violence is never a comfortable topic."

Paul Pastor, Pierce County sheriff, announced Brame's death from outside St. Joseph's hospital. He said only that Brame had died of a gunshot wound; no other details were given.

"This is terribly sad news for this city and this community," Pastor said.

Carlos Sambrano, a childhood friend of the chief, went to the hospital to support the family. He said he and Brame played baseball at Lincoln High School.

"He never appeared to be a violent person," said Sambrano, who described his friend as a "class act."

Visibly distraught over the news of his friend's death, Sambrano said: "What's this world coming to."

[HairOfTheDog]

Some women won't acknowledge that women in this society cause a LOT of domestic problems. Women have been so affected by the man-hating of the feminists/lesbian/NOW hegemony in this culture, that they don't even realize when they are being unfair.

I am not one of those. I told a friend of mine who was decked by her husband that if she had said the same thing to me I would have decked her too. I know that every person has a limit on what they can take. We are all human.

None of those things mean diddly squat when you are talking about a man who has a mindset that thinks shooting the wife and himself in a parking lot with the kids watching is the best way out. This is so heinous it would be *wise* to not use this thread to start defending men against wicked plotting wimmin.

[Urbane_Guerilla]

And anyone who is the product of a "happy" family will NEVER understand.

The pain and suffering of children whose parents are at war, is a thing which will profoundly affect them for the rest of their lives.

Every child should love and respect his parents, regardless of what they have done. Yes, it is a struggle to do so. Many times, that love and respect is wholly contained in forgiveness.

Children with loving and wise parents should treat their great good fortune with joyful gratitude.

[Z-28]

Another Prozac?

[cake_crumb]

"It's just a guy saying it's a bad thing some guy shot his wife."

It doesn't look that way to me. He says it's a sad thing, but I don't see where he's saying it's a bad thing :

"I think that people are saddened it got to that stage and unhappy that it happened here, and unhappy that it happened at all."

[marktwain]

I am only wondering if there might have been a way to help him keep from "losing it" .

I doubt it. People who have become loose cannons aren't easy to regulate. These laws and amendments and restraining orders only serve to trip up a few of those who intend harm but are not this quick or competent.

You could be right. As I read the research, most of these cases are "dances of mutual destruction". However, the media accounts do make much about the Officers anguish at losing his career, and any meaningful means of making a living.

If he had been left with the ability to make a living, perhaps he could have found the strength to start a new life. I doubt if he saw that as an option.

I believe it was the Chinese philosopher Sun Tse (forgive my spelling) who said that you should always leave your enemy a way out. Because of his carreer, she knew that she was destroying his future prospects for a life. The restraining order did not protect her, as many have mentioned. Isn't it just possible that it exacerbated the situation?

[Leisler]

The 'Lectric Law Library's Lexicon On
* Barratry, Barrator *

BARRATRY - The practice of instituting groundless judicial proceedings - a crime in a number of jurisdictions.

In old law French barat, baraterie, signifying robbery, deceit, fraud. In modern usage it may be defined as the habitual moving, exciting and maintaining suits and quarrels, either at law or otherwise.

A man cannot be indicted as a common barrator in respect of any number of false and groundless actions brought in his own right, nor for a single act in right of another; for that would not make him a common barrator.

Barratry, in this sense, is different from maintenance and champerty.

An attorney cannot be indicted for this crime merely for maintaining another in a groundless action.

BARRATOR - One who has been guilty of the offence of barratry. BARRATRY - Maritime Law, Crimes. A fraudulent act of the master or mariners, committed contrary to their duty as such, to the prejudice of the owners of the ship.

The act of Congress of April 30, 1790, s.8, punishes with death as piracy, 'any captain or mariner of any ship or other vessel who shall piratically and feloniously run away with such ship or vessel, or any goods or merchandize to the value of fifty dollars; or yield up such ship or vessel to any pirate or if any such seamen shall lay violent hands upon his commander, thereby to binder or prevent his fighting in defence of his ship or goods committed to his trust, or shall make a revolt in the said ship.'
    --b--

[FirstTomato]

do you automatically condem one and not the other? HELL YES!!!

Why? Wonder if the woman had a gun too, and simply didn't shoot as fast as the man. Would that make a difference? Is it because the one who shot the gun is a man? If the woman had shot the man would you still say that? What about if the man had been abusive towards the woman? What if it was proven the woman was abusive towards the man? would that make a difference? What if it was proven he had a brain tumor and that affected his resonses?

[FITZ]

If he had been left with the ability to make a living

He could have changed careers ---what about older people who get laid off? They aren't left with the ability to make a living but don't go and shoot the management. Anyhow what he did is certainly going to affect his ability to keep that job ---so shooting her and himself isn't why he did it.

[PoisedWoman]

The case that happened here was a secluded parking lot --

No way. Reporters were reporting from the scene of the crime on every local tv station here...the car where the officer shot himself and his wife was in a busy parking lot with stores and shops clearly visible a few yards away...they were no more than three rows of cars away from the stores and it was a busy Saturday afternoon shopping time. He acted quickly and precisely and did not try to hide his crime.

[FirstTomato]

Sorry, we disagree. I think this is a perfectly appropriate thread to discuss the matter.

[FITZ]

The pain and suffering of children whose parents are at war

I hope the abuse doesn't repeat itself in that next generation. I think growing up in abusive families must be what makes people live this way ---kids watching parents hit each other, throw things, hate each other ---and that's all they learn.

[FITZ]

No ---I meant in the town I'm in ---a woman broke a restraining order she herself put on her husband by agreeing to meet him face to face. I already know the case discussed on this thread, the woman broke the restraining order by meeting him face to face in a busy parking lot.

[MattAMiller]

It doesn't look that way to me. He says it's a sad thing, but I don't see where he's saying it's a bad thing

I'm the biggest hair-splitter I know, but I think your taking a bit too far here.

[FirstTomato]

GretchenEE, please read carefully. I never justified Nicole's murder. I just said that she was no angel. If you disagree with that, fine.

[HairOfTheDog]

It may have exacerbated the situation, but I don't know that I could advise her *not* to get a restraining order if the threat was real, which we now know it was. If he were a real threat and I were her, I would have wanted all the legal paper-trail possible to protect myself if he were to kick my door down and I had to shoot him. Shooting someone you know in self-defense is always sticky, especially a spouse.

He might have lost his job in this (rightfully). But only a twisted mind turns that into a murder/suicide. Loss of even a pinnacle job is only a life-ending event if there are critical things missing from a man's pysche. New jobs can be found.

To explain a local clarification that is significant: He was chief of Tacoma Police Department, residing in Gig Harbor, where the shooting took place. It sounds like the court papers were filed in Gig Harbor, a neighboring small town. This is a completely different jurisdiction than the one he is chief of. His only real power in that court and police system would be a professional courtesy, and not a real one.

[FirstTomato]

I think your post is rather offensive. I've been pefectly reasonable in what I've said. Just because it is diatmetrically opposed to what YOU believe, then that is no reason to attack me so pesonally.

[Shooter 2.5]

I want you to think about all of the judicial motions that are made to execute a serial killer.

Did she deserve to be executed? Yes or no.

[sinkspur]

You're a woman who hates women?

You need help. Seriously.

[HairOfTheDog]

Agreed Matt... - I think it sounds like a guy talking off the cuff after hearing news that is beyond shocking. We dont' always say what we would have with more time to write the script.