3 Seattle cops shot as 7-Eleven robbery turns deadly Suspected robber killed; 2 more detained

Seattle police pursue suspects at the scene where two cops were shot during a robbery response downtown Thursday afternoon. Seattle police pursue suspects at the scene where two cops were shot during a robbery response downtown Thursday afternoon. Photo: Dean Wenick/special To Seattlepi.com Photo: Dean Wenick/special To Seattlepi.com Image 1 of / 44 Caption Close 3 Seattle cops shot as 7-Eleven robbery turns deadly 1 / 44 Back to Gallery

Three Seattle police officers were shot while responding to a report of a robbery Thursday afternoon at a downtown Seattle convenience store.

One suspect died in the incident, details of which were still unfolding by nightfall. Cops detained a second person at the scene and arrested a third later in the evening.

One of the officers, a 30-year-old man, was seriously wounded in the shooting and was undergoing treatment at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. He was shot in the face; the deflected bullet then entered his chest. He was in serious but stable condition Friday morning.

The second officer, a 42-year-old woman, was in satisfactory condition. It appeared her body armor blocked a bullet. She has since been released from the hospital. Both officers have both been on the force roughly three years.

A third officer was grazed in the hand, police said. That officer did not go to the hospital until later in the day, making his injury difficult to confirm at first, police spokesman Sean Whitcomb said. He has since been treated and released.

Police responded to the robbery call at 1:18 p.m. at the 7-Eleven in the 600 block of First Avenue, where a 17-year-old girl and a 19-year-old armed man reportedly held up the store and ran north on First Avenue.

"It's a robbery," Chief Deputy Carmen Best said that afternoon. "That's what they were doing. They were robbing the store."

Officers eventually caught up to the pair and engaged in a physical struggle that involved a 27-year veteran cop getting hit in the head with a bottle, according to Seattle police.

The 19-year-old ran to the entryway of an office building in the 900 block of First Avenue, where he exchanged gunfire with cops, reports indicate. It was then that the three officers were struck by gunfire.

The officers were taken to Harborview as police scoured the area for suspects and ordered the office building on lockdown. SWAT officers entered the building to look for suspects and found the 19-year-old inside, dead.

The man was identified Friday afternoon as Damarius Butts. The King County Medical Examiner says he died of multiple gunshot wounds.

Police found the girl nearby and detained her. They identified another 19-year-old man involved in the robbery and arrested him shortly after 6 p.m., according to reports.

The officer hit with the bottle was treated and released at the scene.

The cops who fired their weapons in the incident will be placed on paid administrative leave pending an investigation of the incident, per department policy.

Seattle Department of Transportation workers closed roads as King County Metro Transit buses were rerouted out of the area. An estimate as to when all roads in the area will reopen was not given.

SDOT announced all roads were open again about 5:45 p.m.

Initial reports that the officers had only been slightly injured proved incorrect. A Harborview spokesperson initially described the male officer's injuries as life-threatening, though Seattle Mayor Ed Murray later told the press that both officers appeared poised to survive their injuries.

“Their attitude is great. One of them was smiling," Murray said.

“These two wonderful officers," he continued, "are going to be able to go home.”

Best acknowledged that statements on the incident had been inconsistent in the hours after the shooting.

“As you know, these investigations are ongoing and very fluid, but they were able to determine that there were only two suspects," Best said.

Police hope to examine any photos or video footage taken at the scene. Detectives ask anyone with images of the incident to call 206-684-5550.

Best praised the officer's response during the evening press briefing.

"The men and women of the SPD responded today with courage and with bravery to a very hostile scene," she said.

Butts had no felony history in Washington.

SeattlePI reporters Daniel DeMay and Levi Pulkkinen contributed to this report.