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The following are excerpts from the official Seattle Police Department report released to the press on Wednesday, February 5.

Officer injuries



Police property damaged



Officer Myers' account of the incident (all quoted)


Citizens reported that over one hundred bicyclists were southbound on Fifth Ave taking up the entire roadway. . . . Once on Sixth Ave the group completely surrounded a large tour bus that was trying to drive northbound on the public roadway. The group blocked the roadway from curb to curb and were even riding on the sidewalk. Officers observed that the bicyclists nearest the bus were pounding on the sides of the bus. . . . The group was advised by loud P.A. system repeatedly to ride no more than two across . . . Several of the riders made an attempt to comply.

Christopher S. Heitmann however came out of the group in direct contradiction to the ppolice command moved left to block vehicular traffic. Heitmann began yelling at the uniformed police officer saying that he didn't have to do anything. At that point Heitmann reached the intersection of Hubbell and Madison street. Heitmann was still refusing to pull right or allow traffic to pass him. Heitmann had a fullly red light at the intersection. Heitmann yelled at officer Myers, you got a red light, you have to stop, then Heitmann accelerated out into the intersection running the red light. Officer Myers signalled Heitmann to stop with lights and siren. Heitmann looked over his shoulder at the marked patrol car, then instead of making any attempt to stop, accelerated into a crowd of riders.

Officer Myers ordered Heitmann to stop via PA system, identifying him by clothing description and ordering him to stop where he was. Heitmann looked back again but tried to lose the patrol car by weaving through riders and vehicles that were deadlocked by the large group. Officer Myers pursued Heitmann for three full city blocks with lights and siren, as well as verbal commands via PA. Heitmann continued to try and elude officer Myers even when officer Myers pulled his patrol car in front of Heitmann.

Eventually near Terry Ave officer Myers was able to get in front of Heitmann and get out on foot. Heitmann made a u-turn in the congested conditions and tried to flee northbound. Officer Myers ordered Heitmann to stop. Heitmann refused and officer Myers took hold of the shoulder bag Heitmann was wearing. Heitmann travelled across two lanes of travel [sic] with officer Myers physically trying to stop Heitmann. Officer Myers was finally able to stop Heitmann when he reached the north curb. Officer Myser at this point told Heitmann to put his hands up. Heitmann instead tried to lunge away from officer Myers and flee on foot. Officer Myers still had hold of the shoulder bag and ordered Myers to put his hands behind his back.

Officer Myers advised Heitmann he was under arrest (officer Myers was arresting heitmann for failing to obey a police officer 11.59.010 and obstructing 12A.16.050. Heitmann refused to place his hands behind his back and again tried to flee on foot pulling away from officer Myers. When Heitmann was unable to flee, officer Myers again advised him that he was under arrest. Heitmann lay down spread eagle on his back thrusting his hands far apart from each other. Officer Myers bent down to handcuff Heitmann, and Heitmann began yelling to his co-workers as he twisted and turned trying to prevent officer Myers from taking control of either hand.

While officer Myers was trying to control Heitmann the large group that had already made it up to Terry Ave east of where officer Myers was struggling with Heitmann turned and came back Westbound. Officer Myers requested back-up and the group began encircling Heitmann and the officer. As officer Myers bent down to try and bring Heitmann under control, an unknown suspect struck officer Myers in the back. Officer Myers was struck several more times in the back, shoulder, and neck by riders behind the officer. Officer Myers had to abandon all his attempts to handcuff heitmann to protect himself.

Officer Myers ordered all the other riders to step back and clear the street. The riders made no attempt to comply and continued closing in on officer Myers. The group was very hostile and combative. Officer Myers directly ordered Tobin Iles, James Bryant, and Cesily Secoolish, along with others to leave the area and clear the street. none of the suspects complied despite repeated orders. Office Myers was facing uphill to the east where Secoolish was standing and was struck by an unknown suspect to the south. The suspect initially struck officer Myers with fists, the nwith a bicycle pump. Officer Myers was struck with the pump on the back of the head behind the left ear. When officer Myers stood back upright, Heitmann tried to flee.

As Heitmann tried to flee, Cesily Secoolish charged officer Myers swingin with a closed fist toward officer Myers' head. Officer Myers twisted to avoid the blow and Secoolish struck officer Myers i nthe shoulder. Secoolish then tried to push Officer Myers backward and away from Heitmann. Secoolish then began flailing her arms and clawing at officer Myers' torso (officer Myers' shirt was torn). Officer Myers during the disturbance had upgraded the call for assistance to a fast back-up, then to a help. Officer Sackman arrived in time to see James Bryant striking officer Myers from behind in the head, neck, and shoulder while he was still trying to detain Heitmann and fight off Secoolish. Officer Howard assisted in taking Secoolish into custody. Officer Howard advised Secoolish she was under arrest, but Secoolish flailed her arms around and lunged trying to evade arrest. Secoolish was brought under control and was arrested.

Officers Sackman, Eugenio, and Verrill intervened and stopped James Bryant from further assaulting officer Myers. Bryant took off running when officers approached . Bryant led officers on an extended foot pursuit and failed to stop despite repeated orders from uniformed police to stop running. Bryant was eventually stopped when several officers converged on him at once. Bryant resisted arrest and resisted handcuffing. While officers were in foot pursuit of Bryant, Bryant led officers through a group of hostile riders. While officer Eugenio chased Bryant, Tobin Iles used a bicycle as a weapon striking Eugenio in the chest, leg, and knee with the bike.

Officer Verrill witnessed Iles strike the officer and tried to arrest Iles for the assault. Officer Verrill advised Iles that he was under arrest and Iles broke free from officer Verrill's grasp and started running westbound on Madison street. When officer Verrill caught up to Iles, Iles took a fighting stance and struggled with the unifomed officer. Iles struggled so violently that officer Verrill hit his head on the ground causing pain and disorientation. Officer Verrill was able to hold on until officer Dosch arrived and assisted in taking Iles into custody. Officer Verrill was the transported by Seattle Fire Department Medics to Harborview for treatment of his head injury.

While officer Myers was trying to take Heitmann into custody, Heitmann kicked officer Myers in the left knee. Heitmann had to swing his entire body around to reach the knee, then kicked with enough force to inflict a lasting sprain in the knee joint.

When additional units arrived and began bringing the scene under control, Sergeant Grady gave multiple personal dispersal orders via PA system. The first dispersal order was given at 1813 hours. At 1818 hours the majority of the group had cleared the roadway and vehicular traffic was trying to clear.

David S. Lorenz had disregarded all commands to clear the roadway and leave the area. Lorenz was arrested for failure to disperse after repeatedly refusing to leave.

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