A man shot to death by police outside Qwest Field in the wee hours before the St. Louis Rams-Seattle Seahawks game has been identified by his family as a California lottery winner.
Relatives also disputed police accounts of the death of Rick Camat, 32, who was shot by an officer as dozens of people fled to avoid gunfire and fighting outside a Pioneer Square bar early Sunday.
Camat, one of 13 Starbucks employees in Los Angeles who split an $87 million jackpot in 2000, fired into the air to try to break up the fight and police never issued a warning before shooting him, said his brother, Brian Camat, 27, who was with him at the time.
At least three officers, summoned by a report of fighting, found 50 to 100 people in and around the parking lot north of the football stadium, according to a police report.
Officer Nicholus Bauer, 42, a 12-year veteran, opened fire after a man shot a 9mm semiautomatic pistol at a car that was leaving the area, crouched behind another car, refused to drop the weapon after being warned and instead pointed it at officers, police said.
"It's just something I did not believe in my heart," said Camat's cousin, Rechelle Asperin. "He's not violent. He does not have a violent nature. He never broke temper in front of me and my family.
"I've been out with him a couple of times going to the clubs here in L.A., and he's always been happy while we were out and never started any altercations with anyone. All he did was just hang out, and he was just happy."
Bauer, who remains on paid administrative leave, had not previously been involved in a police shooting, officers said. An internal police review and a King County court inquest are planned, standard procedures in law enforcement shootings in the county.
Brian Camat said he and his brother were at a nightspot in the Belltown area north of downtown, then drove to the stadium area, intending to visit another club, Tiki Bob's Cantina, but arrived with five friends as it was closing.
A fight developed in front of them and the two brothers tried to intercede but were attacked from behind, after which they chased someone who ran away, and Rick Camat pulled a gun and fired into the air to try to stop the melee, Brian Camat said.
"He shot once in the air to scare people away," the brother said. "He didn't aim it at anyone."
At that point, police arrived and fired without warning, "bam, bam, bam," as his brother ran to their car, he said.
"Officers didn't tell him to freeze or anything," he said. "They shot a few rounds at my brother when his back was turned."
Officer Debra Brown said the brother's account "differs vastly from the statements of dozens of witnesses who were at the scene that evening."
Rick Camat recently bought a house in Federal Way, a suburb between Seattle and Tacoma where he moved about six months ago, relatives said. He previously used his share of the lottery winnings to buy a house for his mother and cars for his siblings.
The winnings, about $6.6 million per winner before taxes, are being paid over the next 26 years, Brian Camat said. California lottery officials said the remaining installments would become part of Rick Camat's estate.
well thats one for the record books,,,probably carried the gun because his anonimity was comprimised after his lottery win.....I wonder if he was constently being harrassed for money or did he just get to bold for his own good?
Rich or poor he didn't have any legal authority or consitutional right to intervene or break-up a fight by firing a weapon into the air. If anyone sees someone, especially a stanger, brandishing a gun and then firing it, you have to assume the worst. Just because someone fires a gun away from people initially doesn't mean they can't then suddenly turn it on someone else or even themselves. He presented a danger to himself and others and, emotions aside, only the investigation will reveal what really happened. Even though Hollywood, criminals and their lawyers love to see cops as evil and trigger happy, most are regular people, indeed our neighbors, who are just doing an often thankless job dealing with the rough and dirty end of society.
i agree with you about how he shouldn't have used the gun. well being from the seattle area i can tell you nothing will happen to the officers. no matter how bad the situation the officer always get off. i can't remember one time in 10 years living here where they lose either criminally or civilaly.
Quote:Originally posted by Phokas on October 14, 2004 Rich or poor he didn't have any legal authority or consitutional right to intervene or break-up a fight by firing a weapon into the air. If anyone sees someone, especially a stanger, brandishing a gun and then firing it, you have to assume the worst. Just because someone fires a gun away from people initially doesn't mean they can't then suddenly turn it on someone else or even themselves. He presented a danger to himself and others and, emotions aside, only the investigation will reveal what really happened. Even though Hollywood, criminals and their lawyers love to see cops as evil and trigger happy, most are regular people, indeed our neighbors, who are just doing an often thankless job dealing with the rough and dirty end of society.
You have to wonder why the group chose the annuity (CA requires the choice to be made when you play). How many of the 13 would have chosen cash if they played solo?
well thats one for the record books,,,probably carried the gun because his anonimity was comprimised after his lottery win.....I wonder if he was constently being harrassed for money or did he just get to bold for his own good?
probably being harrassed. You know how people can get when they know you have loads of money. . . . . .
Rich or poor he didn't have any legal authority or consitutional right to intervene or break-up a fight by firing a weapon into the air. If anyone sees someone, especially a stanger, brandishing a gun and then firing it, you have to assume the worst. Just because someone fires a gun away from people initially doesn't mean they can't then suddenly turn it on someone else or even themselves. He presented a danger to himself and others and, emotions aside, only the investigation will reveal what really happened. Even though Hollywood, criminals and their lawyers love to see cops as evil and trigger happy, most are regular people, indeed our neighbors, who are just doing an often thankless job dealing with the rough and dirty end of society.
You have to wonder why the group chose the annuity (CA requires the choice to be made when you play). How many of the 13 would have chosen cash if they played solo?