BREAKING: OPA recommends two SPD officers be fired for their actions during the 1/6 insurrection

[SEATTLE, Wash] – (MTN) The Seattle Office of Police Accountability released its highly anticipated report today on the January 6 conduct of 6 SPD officers in Washington D.C. during the insurrection and has recommended two officers be fired. A combination of Crosscut, The Stranger, and Divest SPD, identified the six officers two months ago. According to The Stranger, “named employee 1” and “named employee 2,” are tentatively identified as Alexander Everett and Caitlin Rochelle.

According to Report 2021PA-0013, the officers violated 3 policies each. The officers claimed that they went to the Capitol because Donald Trump had asked them to, but didn’t enter any restricted areas. However, as part of a parallel FBI investigation, OPA received pictures that clearly showed the officers in a restricted area witnessing people scaling the Capitol walls and officers being assaulted.

In a written statement, OPA Director Andrew Myerberg said, “That they were direct witnesses to people defiling the seat of American democracy and assaulting fellow law enforcement officers—and did nothing—makes this all the more egregious.”

Everett and Rochelle allegedly went to Washington D.C. to see Trump at the Stop the Steal Rally as part of their honeymoon.

Acting Police Chief Adrian Diaz stated on January 8 that if evidence was provided that showed officers violated any laws, he would fire them. Both the Seattle Police Department and the Seattle Police Officers Guild indicated they would make statements later today.

Three officers were determined to have not violated any policies or laws and only exercised their First Amendment rights. A sixth officer refused to cooperate with the investigation. the OPA does not have the power to compel or order an officer to provide evidence, so the case for “named employee 3” is “non sustained, inconclusive.” The Stranger reported on Twitter that there is an ongoing FBI investigation into unspecified SPD officers and their conduct on January 6.

Crosscut reported yesterday that the Seattle Police Officers Guild has filed a grievance against the city over the request for information from the OPA as part of its investigation. In the days following the insurrection, Mike Solan, the SPOG President, was outspoken in blaming Antifa for the insurrection and sharing false claims on social media and his podcast. The City Council along with several organizations called for Solan to resign for his statements, which he ignored. Solan’s conduct on Twitter is currently subject to two OPA investigations.

So far over 530 people have been arrested for the January 6 insurrection, which left at least 5 people dead and forced the evacuation of Congress and the Vice President from the House chambers, and delayed the certification of the 2020 national election. Donald Trump and his supporters have continued to push “the big lie” that the 2020 election was corrupt and stolen, despite no meaningful evidence to support the allegations.

The Department of Justice has not made a statement to confirm or deny any SPD officers are under active investigation for their actions on January 6.

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