After a heated conversation, witnesses reported hearing two shots. Brame, 44, was taken to St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma where he died shortly before 6 p.m. yesterday. Another woman in the parking lot scooped up the children _ an 8-year-old girl and 5-year-old boy _ and took them into a video store in the strip mall. Youll likely be wondering where to begin and what to look for in a good system. Tacoma police chief shoots wife, then kills self, deputies say For example, Crystal Brame alleged that she was "very afraid" of her husband because he was controlling and threatening pointing a gun at her, keeping the couple's checkbook from her, insisting on going with her to routine doctor exams and checking her car odometer to make sure she had not strayed from permitted errands. And he made Crystal out to be crazy.. After 17 years, Tacoma police chief with 'good heart and tough job To qualify for GSA approval, an organization must complete a rigorous application process and have a proven track record within its industry. Brame was pronounced dead at 5:52 p.m. at St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma, Troyer said. She is the first woman to head the police force in Tacoma, a city of 194,000. One witness said she saw people in the parking lot running around and screaming after the shootings. His wife was with him when he was promoted just over a year ago, but in divorce filings made public just last week, she described a man who was violent and controlling. Police Chief Shoots Wife, Kills Self - Feminist Majority Foundation Acting Tacoma police chief replaced. ", "He was exactly what you want," Troyer added, "rose up through the ranks, worked very hard and made chief.". As it turned out, I was probably the only TNT reporter who didnt work that day. But Brame said he had been victimized in the relationship. Friends say he followed her, even tried to hack into her cell phone to delete messages. ''. Always, he claimed to be an abused man, painting Crystal as an unstable spouse bent on destroying his career. He in turn said that his wife had a "ferocious temper," and was emotionally unstable. Outgoing Pioneer Natural Resources CEO Scott Sheffield feels his successor Rich Dealy is ready to Opinion: Midlanders no longer trust the MPD, our newly elected mayor and the DAs office. Tacoma's city manager, Ray Corpuz, issued a statement today expressing shock at the shootings, which were witnessed by the couple's children, Haley, 8, and David Jr., 5. I interviewed a Tacoma police officer who said Brame tried to lure her into a threesome with Crystal. A woman who witnessed Wednesday's shooting of Tacoma police Officer Reginald "Jake" Gutierrez said he sacrificed himself to save his partner and the wife of the man who opened fire. Then he shot himself. GIG HARBOR Tacoma Police Chief David Brame apparently shot his estranged wife then killed himself today, a day after her allegations of abuse were publicized in media reports. As his wife was getting into their car, he heard two gunshots. The meeting, long disputed, led nowhere. "If you wanted a mom, Crystal would be the perfect one," said Brad Chatfield, a state Senate employee from Olympia who is a lifelong friend. The shootings occurred a day after abuse accusations in the couples divorce case appeared in local newspapers. The Brame story dominated our coverage for two years and lingered after that. Tacoma Police Chief David Brame died yesterday after he shot his 35-year-old estranged wife and himself in a strip-mall parking lot in Gig Harbor, Pierce County. Crystal Brame accused her husband of pointing his gun at her, trying to choke her in November and saying he "could snap my neck if he wanted to.". The 43-year-old woman said she was standing in front of a coffee shop when she heard a ``pop, pop sound and then saw a woman lying in a pool of blood. My crime team colleagues and I, led by editor Randy McCarthy, had covered the 2001 arrest of Gary Ridgway, the Green River killer. The story said an internal affairs investigation at the time was inconclusive. Brame said he reported the fights to his boss at the time, interim Chief Ken Monner; to another Tacoma officer who photographed his bruises, and to police in Gig Harbor, where he was living at the time. Frantz said Brame was "a dynamite chief" who was implementing new policies and making good connections with the community. They were just running for safety," said Kirsten Oakland, 36, and a hair stylist at Harbor Cutter, a shop that looks out onto the parking lot. He spoke fluent management with purring deference. On April 25, the day before the shootings, news stories surfaced about the chiefs divorce. "They had no idea. The Development Wells report for Texas Railroad Commission Districts 7C, 8 and 8A. Was that enough? "Anybody that was out here heard the children screaming," said Warnock. Brame rose through the ranks to become police chief in Tacoma, a city of 194,000, in January 2002. The chief was found slumped over in the passengers seat with a gunshot wound to the head, Troyer said. "There's been enough damage done already," Mattheis said. Crystal Brame accused her husband of pointing his gun at her, trying to choke her and saying he "could snap my neck if he wanted to.". Witnesses told police they heard two quick shots, Troyer said. At work, Brame talked of his crumbling marriage to anyone who would listen, from assistant chiefs and captains to his administrative assistant. His reporting work includes award-winning coverage related to criminal justice, government accountability and public disclosure. Police Chief Injures Wife, Kills Self - mrt.com In court papers, Brame said his wife scratched, bruised and pushed him during two fights in September 1996. Benson was pronouced dead Thursday. There havent been any discussions (about an investigation) or complaints from within the department.. The stress of being a police chief and the publicity of his marital troubles must have come to a head, Frantz surmised. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. It led state Attorney General Chris Gregoire to describe the department under Brame as culturally corrupt.. Crystal Brame accused her husband of pointing his gun at her, trying to choke her and saying he ``could snap my neck if he wanted to.. Brame died at 5:43 p.m., 2 1/2 hours after the shootings in a Gig Harbor shopping . The portrait was a. Across the country, eerily similar shootings have recently occurred. One person died after a reported Saturday evening shooting in Tacoma, according to the Tacoma Police Department. That night, Brame called her from Las Vegas, where he was attending a labor-management seminar. Brame rose through the ranks . Brame put the children in his car, then returned to his wife's car, got in the passenger seat, then fired his gun twice. ''He rose through the ranks, always finishing at the top,'' Mr. Baarsma said. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? He accused his wife of having a "ferocious temper" and being emotionally unstable. The couples 8-year-old daughter and 5-year-old son were sitting a few feet away in their fathers car. GIG HARBOR, Wash. (AP) _ Tacoma Police Chief David Brame was killed and his wife was injured in an apparent murder-suicide attempt Saturday, a day after abuse allegations in the couples divorce case were publicized in media reports. One witness said she saw people in the parking lot running around and screaming after the shootings. On the way home, Brame returned to his favorite subject: his divorce. Corpuz told The News Tribune he would not investigate the chief. The children are now in the care of Ms. Brame's mother. ``This is somebody everybody knew and respected., ``He was exactly what you want, Troyer added, ``rose up through the ranks, worked very hard and made chief.. After they married, she quit her job to stay home to raise the couple's children, friends said. "The girl was over the top of her mother after she had been shot and was pulled off by a witness," said Ed Troyer of the Pierce County Sheriff's Department. The children were in the care of their mothers parents Saturday night, Troyer said. The chief and his wife arrived in the parking lot in separate cars, with the couple's children riding with their mother. Brame was pronounced dead at 5:52 p.m. at St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma, Troyer said. Bystanders hurried the Brame children into a video store in the mall to wait for police. For a while in the early 00s it felt like big stories never stopped coming. He sought legal advice on his divorce from city attorneys. She was found on the pavement beside her vehicle. Tacoma Police Chief Shoots Wife, Self TIM KLASS April 26, 2003 Comments The wife of Tacoma Police Chief David Brame was in critical condition with a gunshot wound to the head after being. He said he reported the fights to "protect himself.". Brame, 44, was taken to. In the divorce papers, David Brame claimed he had been victimized in the relationship. But Brame said he had been victimized in the relationship. But Brame said he had been victimized in the relationship. Why Bicycles are Great for Police and First Responders. In 2002, the Beltway Sniper murders on the East Coast transfixed the nation. The Tacoma native had been assistant police chief before being named chief. class kills 16-year-old, Washington school says, How Sound Transit loses people even in liberal cities like Tacoma | Opinion, Why didnt the picks-loaded Seahawks draft a quarterback? Pierce County sheriffs detectives are pursuing reports that Brame may have indicated an intention to commit suicide in the hours before the shootings. Shortly before they separated in February, Brame pointed his service revolver at her, "telling me, Accidents happen," according to the court filings. Life was about Crystal Brame, Blackwell said. ABCNEWS' Neal Karlinsky reported this story on Good Morning America. Crystal Brame is 5 feet tall and weighs about 105 pounds. Eventually, we got their answers. The wife of the Tacoma police chief was in critical condition today, a day after her husband shot her in the head in a mall parking lot and then fatally shot himself, the authorities said. Seattle Times staff reporters Pamela Sitt, Ian Ith, J.J. Jensen, Sarah Anne Wright, Christine Clarridge and Marsha King contributed to this report. Brame kept his job, and eventually rose in department ranks. "I heard one of the children say, 'Daddy shot Mommy,' words to that effect," said Dana Mossman. Updated April 30, 2023 1:51 AM. In court papers, Brame said his wife scratched, bruised and pushed him during two fights in September 1996. Police Say Tacoma Chief Shoots Wife, Self - Midland Reporter-Telegram Excerpts of news on Tacoma Police Chief killing his wife - YouTube But Crystal Brame's longtime friends aren't buying any of the police chief's allegations, especially now that he shot her. Corpuz told him to focus on work. It was about a boss who killed his wife and himself. He accused his wife of having a ``ferocious temper and being emotionally unstable. Tacoma Police Chief Shoots Wife Before Killing Himself, Authorities Say April 28, 2003 The wife of the Tacoma police chief was in critical condition today, a day after her husband shot. ILEETA 2023: Training to Prevent the Next Uvalde. She alleged that Brame and Woodard gained access to the secure neighborhood "under false pretenses." City Manager Ray Corpuz said Brame also went to an FBI seminar in January on emotional survival training for law enforcement officers. "She had some significant concerns about that," Lombino said. Brame died at 5:43 p.m., 2 1/2 hours after the shootings in a Gig Harbor. The boss was the one going crazy, but the boss also happened to be ruthless, and subordinates knew it. No other information about the children was released. On Friday, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reported that documents in the couples divorce case recounted a stormy, sometimes violent relationship. Crystal Brame accused her husband of pointing his gun at her, trying to choke her and saying he ``could snap my neck if he wanted to.. Asterisks surrounded his 1981 hiring; Brame took three psychological evaluations before he was deemed eligible. Tacoma police chief shoots wife, kills himself It was personal: a human-resources nuke, a road map of wrong turns and bad decisions. Chief Brame ''just seemed to be the absolute perfect choice'' for the job, Mr. Baarsma said. One is missing: David Brame, who left a permanent scar that wounded the department and the city. Tacoma Police Chief David Brame kept a picture in his office, a framed portrait of a young executive: Al Pacino as cold-eyed Michael Corleone, the freshly anointed Godfather. "I think that as a journalist, all I can do is do my job and given the circumstances, given that he was charged with upholding the public trust with upholding the law in a city the size of Tacoma, I think all we could do is report what we knew and hope that it would be investigated.". Days before the shooting, as word of Brames divorce and allegations of domestic abuse became public, Corpuz said the chiefs divorce was a civil matter, and declined to take action. Police Say Tacoma Chief Shoots Wife, Self - ourmidland.com Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. ''More than anything, their welfare is on my mind.''. "She's one of the most thoughtful people I've ever met. I had a vague tip. Sheriff's spokesman Troyer said the dispatcher did not send an officer to the residence because Crystal Brame had called hours after the chief and his assistant had left, and she had no proof that Woodard or Chief Brame had threatened or intimidated her. The allegations against Brame were not sustained, in police jargon. Two weeks ago rookie Officer Nickolas Wilt ran toward danger with his training officer after a shooter inside the Old National Bank killed five fellow employees. Police Say Tacoma Chief Shoots Wife, Self. Under terms of their separation, he was supposed to bring along another adult when he contacted his wife, so he brought his assistant chief. She was in critical condition at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle Sunday, according to her attorney. The Associated Press GIG HARBOR Tacoma Police Chief David Brame apparently shot his estranged wife then killed himself today, a day after her allegations of abuse were publicized in media. It touched off multiple investigations and shed light on officer-involved domestic violence. In the seven days between the police chief's suicide and the decision to remove his brain-dead widow from life support, a sensational shooting that had at first been perceived as a domestic. I'm very disappointed in what he's done," he said. At one point, the chief put the children in his car, then went back to his wifes car, where the pair engaged in a heated conversation, authorities believe. Brame was pronounced dead at 5:52 p.m. at St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma, Troyer said. Meanwhile, he monitored the odometer on her car, checked her weight on the bathroom scale and sent her flowers anonymously, calling himself a secret admirer. When Crystal asked who sent the flowers, he accused her of having an affair. We learned that Brame had season tickets to The 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle, which always intrigued me why was Tacomas top cop so into musicals? All of us together didnt see any warning signs. "They had no idea. A public man brought his private life to work and snarled his subordinates in the awkward details of his failed marriage. We were just shocked.. The shootings occurred at the Olympic Plaza shopping center in Gig Harbor, a maritime suburb across the Tacoma Narrows, a day after abuse accusations in the couple's divorce case appeared in local papers. Pierce County Sheriffs spokesman Ed Troyer said it did not appear that anyone else was involved. The chief had been in the midst of a wrenching departmental audit, Mr. Baarsma said, but his demeanor betrayed little evidence of any deeper problems. The portrait was a gift, the punch line of a private joke among Brames closest friends in the department who rose with him. He brought three subordinates to one of his divorce hearings. Once a uniformed officer, he took pleasure policing the streets where he grew up, Mr. Baarsma said. He was a player. Tacoma police is working with a staff of 50 fewer personnel than it's budgeted for, which has led to longer response times. We learned the bloody trail left by John Allen Muhammad and Lee Boyd Malvo stretched all the way back to Tacoma and the murder of 21-year-old Keenya Cook. A University of Maryland student remained in critical condition Saturday after a man she knew shot her in the head, before turning the gun on himself. That was all. Trauma-Informed Investigations for Officer-Involved Shootings and Critical Incidents. Police Say Tacoma Chief Shoots Wife, Self TIM KLASS April 26, 2003 GIG HARBOR, Wash. (AP) _ Tacoma Police Chief David Brame was killed and his wife was injured in an apparent murder-suicide attempt Saturday, a day after abuse allegations in the couple's divorce case were publicized in media reports. Crystal Brame accused her husband of pointing his gun at her, trying to choke her and saying he "could snap my neck if he wanted to.". Ruth Teichroeb, an investigative reporter for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, broke the story about the abuse charges against the police chief. This story was originally published April 21, 2013, 5:00 AM. I had a pen and a notebook, not a smartphone. The shooting took place around 3:10 p.m. in the parking lot of a shopping center in this town northwest of Tacoma, Troyer said. A female & 3 children inside the house were uninjured. David Brame, who was named Tacoma's police chief in late 2001, was described as a trusted insider committed to Tacoma, someone who could build bridges between the department and the community. Memoir: Tacoma Police Chief David Brame killed his wife Crystal and himself 20 years ago By Sean Robinson Updated April 25, 2023 5:46 PM Tacoma Police Chief David Brame was a fan of. TNT archives: Looking back at Tacoma's David Brame scandal | Tacoma As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Seattle Times staff reporters TACOMA On the day Police Chief David Brame was buried, and his estranged wife was declared dead, city officials were mired in a controversy over whether they. We interviewed the late Lane Judson, Crystals father, who turned his daughters death into a crusade against domestic violence. But Teichroeb pointed out that a top law enforcement official was being accused of committing a crime. Tacoma Police Chief David Brame was killed and his wife was critically injured in an apparent murder-suicide attempt Saturday, a day after abuse allegations in the couple's divorce case were publicized in media reports. Staff Writer. Though there was a standard restraining order that protected the couple's assets during the divorce, she had said in divorce documents that she had chosen not to obtain a no-contact order, against the advice of her lawyer. When I got to my desk that morning, I found a sticky note left by an editor: My job was to find a woman who said Brame, then a young police officer, had raped her at gunpoint in 1988, 13 years before he became chief. Witnesses told police they heard two quick shots, Troyer said. The shootings occurred a day after abuse accusations in the couple's divorce case appeared in local newspapers. Memoir: Tacoma Police Chief David Brame killed his wife Crystal and ``The probability is strong that the chief shot his wife and then himself, Pierce County Sheriffs spokesman Ed Troyer said. Turning tragedy into fight for DV victims. The Gig Harbor Police Department is working with the Pierce County Sheriffs Office on the case. It did not appear anyone else was involved in the shooting. Investigators say Brame, 44, shot his wife in the head, then killed himself inside her car at a shopping center parking lot after what police believe was a pre-arranged meeting Saturday. Officers recovered a Glock .45-caliber semiautomatic handgun from the crime scene. GIG HARBOR, Wash. Tacoma Police Chief David Brame shot his estranged wife then killed himself Saturday, a day after the woman's allegations of abuse were publicized in media reports.. Human resources leaders said they recommended placing Brame on administrative leave, taking his badge and gun. "This is somebody everybody knew and respected. Troyer said Brame was highly respected. Heres what to know, Sun is shining on the South Sound. City attorneys said they heard no such recommendation. Brame rose through the ranks to become police chief in Tacoma, a city of 194,000, in January 2002. This guide will give you an idea of how t, Talking About MILO's New Training Content at ILEETA 2023. The children ran toward their mother's car after hearing the shots, he said. Critically Wounded Louisville Officer Honored with Banner. Brame rose through the ranks to become police chief in Tacoma, a city of 194,000, in January 2002. Before Brame reached the chiefs office in 2001 at the age of 42, hed been a union boss, known even among detractors as a cool negotiator. Hospital officials would not comment on her condition. The two had dated, The Washington Post reported, citing police sources. ", Brame's allegations "are categorically not true," Chatfield said. GIG HARBOR, Wash. (AP) _ Tacoma Police Chief David Brame was killed and his wife was injured in an apparent murder-suicide attempt Saturday, a day after abuse allegations in the couples divorce case were publicized in media reports.