A look at the DV center that bears Judsons name. His wife, Crystal, was flown to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle where she was in extremely critical condition last night with a bullet wound in the head. In April 2003, Tacoma Police Chief David Brame shot his 35-year-old estranged wife and himself in a strip-mall parking lot in Gig Harbor. "She was on her back, and there was blood everywhere. The university released these new degree programs to help students and industry professionals obtain relevant knowledge specialization in their career field. On Friday, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reported that documents in the couples divorce case recounted a stormy, sometimes violent relationship. All of us together didnt see any warning signs. Two weeks before the shootings, Crystal complained of intimidation and death threats by her husband. The QB they wanted at 5 was gone, Man fatally shot on Puyallup tribal trust land identified by the medical examiner, Wrong-way driver kills Auburn man in head-on crash early Sunday, State Patrol says, Food insecurity on rise in Pierce County. On Friday, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reported that documents in the couple's divorce case recounted a stormy, sometimes violent relationship. Currently Reading. 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. "As hard as it is to believe and as ashamed as I am of this fact, Mrs. Brame has physically abused me for a number of years, often in the presence of the children," said Brame, who is 6-foot-1 and weighs 175 pounds. I had little to go on. Crystal Brame did not have a protective order against her husband, according to police and court records. After the shootings, my TNT colleagues wrote scores of stories, exposing a police department that seemed to wink at domestic violence by employees, and city leaders who found reasons not to intervene before disaster struck. Corpuz declined to act, saying he wouldnt respond to anonymous complaints. On Friday, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reported that documents in the couples divorce case recounted a stormy, sometimes violent relationship. Acquaintances said Benson broke off her relationship with Ambrosino weeks ago after a religious reawakening prompted her to rethink their living together. But Brame said he had been victimized in the relationship. 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. Active Shooter Response Needs Digital Age Collaboration, SPECIAL REPORT: Traffic Safety and Enforcement, How to Support Officer Wellness from Hire to Retire, Columbia Southern University Introduces 27 New Academic Programs to Catalog. Sean Robinson, Night/Sports Editor, spent 20 years as an investigative reporter at The News Tribune before moving to an editing role. We interviewed one of Brames trusted lieutenants: a police captain who recruited Brame into a King County sex club, patronized by local and federal law enforcement officers from the Northwest and Canada, emceed by a veteran Tacoma police officer who was later convicted of child molestation. Receive the latest law enforcement in-depth information, news and products. "I'm not saying he's not responsible. I was there. Seattle Times staff reporters Pamela Sitt, Ian Ith, J.J. Jensen, Sarah Anne Wright, Christine Clarridge and Marsha King contributed to this report. Woodard told Corpuz of the alleged death threats and twice asked the city manager to do something about the troubled chief, according to records. Everyone else did. But Crystal Brame's longtime friends aren't buying any of the police chief's allegations, especially now that he shot her. 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. It was just all day, every day. Six months after the shootings, then-Attorney General Christine Gregoire described the department as culturally corrupt.. But Brame said he had been victimized in the relationship. To multiple subordinates, he confessed a seamy scheme to lure his wife into a sexual threesome with a female officer. Heres what to know, Sun is shining on the South Sound. Neither incident was reported to police, and Brame denied choking or pointing his gun at her. Brame was pronounced dead at 5:52 p.m. at St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma, Troyer said. The day before the shootings, allegations that he had abused his wife were made public. He remembered the chief as a serious student and one set on advancing himself. "And that's why this is so shocking.". Brame asked that authorities not arrest his wife. Hospital officials would not comment on her condition. I cant forget the interviews of the children, who were 8 and 5 at the time. 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. Department wolves called it The Coronation.. No other information about the children was released. The man, Ki Seong Kim, 21, a student at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., died three hours after the shooting Friday. A Model Police Chief 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. Troyer said Brame was highly respected. It destroyed careers, sundered political alliances and devastated the Police Department. She doesn't have the capacity for that kind of anger and violence. Barker said Brame was "vague" about his marital problems and did not report any physical assault. The boss was the one going crazy, but the boss also happened to be ruthless, and subordinates knew it. 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. April 24, 2003, was Crystals birthday. The wife of Tacoma Police Chief David Brame was in critical condition with a gunshot wound. I watched her move her hand up to her head," Pullin said. At work, Brame talked of his crumbling marriage to anyone who would listen, from assistant chiefs and captains to his administrative assistant. Frantz said Brame was "a dynamite chief" who was implementing new policies and making good connections with the community. 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. Officers recovered a Glock .45-caliber semiautomatic handgun from the crime scene. What do you do when this particular boss falls apart? Long-time chief pushes reforms at battered department. Lt. Bob Sheehan, a longtime ally of Brames, picked up the chief at the airport. TACOMA, Wash. Don Ramsdell was a steadying figure in the Tacoma Police Department. Under terms of their separation, he was supposed to bring along another adult when he contacted his wife, so he brought his assistant chief. Leaders of the citys Human Resources Department met with city attorneys and discussed Brames situation. For the record, thats false. They couldnt go over his head there was no other head but Corpuz, who hired Brame. 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. 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.. Crystal Brame had filed for divorce two months ago, detailing in court documents incidents of physical and psychological abuse by her husband, including an incident in November 2002 when David . The chief had been dealing with a departmental audit, said Mayor Bill Baarsma of Tacoma, but he didnt see evidence of any deeper problems. We interviewed the late Lane Judson, Crystals father, who turned his daughters death into a crusade against domestic violence. Crystal Brame has been upgraded to serious condition, but still remains comatose and on life support. 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. She alleged that Brame and Woodard gained access to the secure neighborhood "under false pretenses." The meeting, long disputed, led nowhere. In 2002, the Beltway Sniper murders on the East Coast transfixed the nation. Our students are going to need continued support, says a director at Treehouse, a nonprofit that advocates for foster children and youth. That was 20 years ago. Lombino said she never reported the abuse to police because her husband was the chief of police. 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.. Tacoma police spokesman Jim Mattheis last night said Crystal Brame's allegations of threats by Woodard weren't true, and the department wouldn't discuss the matter. One held that the TNT covered up the story at first to protect Brame, not revealing details of his contentious divorce until it was too late. COVID has caused demand to skyrocket, WA State updates COVID-19 guidance for bowling, museums, agritourism, motor sports, Families who want schools reopened protest outside Pierce County health department, Washington state to apply to federal government for $300-per-week unemployment benefit, Washington state news still encouraging, officials cautiously say at weekly update, Risky gamble? Daddy hurt Mommy.' The only leader with direct authority over Brame, City Manager Ray Corpuz, didnt know what to do about it. A group of officers learned of the incident and anonymously sent a note to Corpuz, seeking an investigation and underlining a perceived double standard: one set of rules for the boss, another for everyone else. The wife of Tacoma Police Chief David Brame was in critical condition with a gunshot wound. Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. The chief put their kids, Haley and David,Jr., in his car, before getting in his wife's vehicle. The faces of every police chief since the departments inception in the 19th century stare back. The Tacoma Police Department said officers responded at about 1 p.m for reports of a person shot in the 700 block of South Yakima Avenue, one block south of Wright Park. David Brame denied all of his wife's allegations, and said she had a "ferocious temper" that manifested itself in physical attacks, constant verbal abuse and threats to "drag him through the mud" and ruin his police career. Brame rose through the ranks to become police chief in Tacoma, a city of 194,000, in January 2002. ``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.. Retrospective: 10 years later - Looking back at former Tacoma Police Chief David Brame, Puyallup man injured in Saturday night wreck on Meridian near Pierce County Airport, Gruesome freak accident in P.E. That night, Brame called her from Las Vegas, where he was attending a labor-management seminar. Subscribe Subscribe; e-Edition The stress of being a police chief and the publicity of his marital troubles must have come to a head, Frantz surmised. Then David Brame shot his wife and then shot and killed himself. He and his wife, 35-year-old Crystal Brame, had been going through a divorce. "Witnesses came and got the other kid into the video store.". What do you do when the boss falls apart? 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. The chief and his wife arrived in the parking lot in separate cars, with the couple's children riding with their mother. Many other people were screaming and running from the parking lot. But youll have to wait until I get home, because I have to give it to you in person.. His wife, Crystal, was flown to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle in critical condition with a gunshot wound to the head. A female & 3 children inside the house were uninjured. April 26, 2003, the day of the shootings, was a Saturday. Friends say he followed her, even tried to hack into her cell phone to delete messages. ``I heard one of the children say, Daddy shot Mommy, words to that effect, said Dana Mossman. 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? It ran the day before the shooting happened. ILEETA 2023: Trainers Speak Out on Effects of Lowering Hiring Standards. Trauma-Informed Investigations for Officer-Involved Shootings and Critical Incidents. The couples 8-year-old daughter and 5-year-old son were sitting a few feet away in their fathers car. It led state Attorney General Chris Gregoire to describe the department under Brame as culturally corrupt.. 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. When the 60-year-old retires Thursday after 17 years at the helm of the department, it'll be as the. The men are accused of 20 shootings, including 13 deaths, in Virginia, Maryland, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and Washington, D.C. "It's a bad day for law enforcement," Troyer said. David Brame, 44, died at a hospital a short time. Human resources leaders said they recommended placing Brame on administrative leave, taking his badge and gun. This guide will give you an idea of how t, Talking About MILO's New Training Content at ILEETA 2023. He in turn said that his wife had a "ferocious temper," and was emotionally unstable. She was found on the pavement beside her vehicle. "She had some significant concerns about that," Lombino said. 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. 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? The children were left in David Brames car while he and Crystal Brame sat in her car and argued. Brame was found in the passenger seat with a fatal head wound. There just were none, Woodard says. 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. It was one of many stories revealing, in hindsight, the dubious rise of a disastrous leader. This babying of Brame needs to stop, Sheehan said, adding that if Corpuz wouldnt do something, he would. He was untouchable. It touched off multiple investigations and shed light on officer-involved domestic violence. As his wife was getting into their car, he heard two gunshots. Tacoma, Wash., Police Chief David Brame, 44, shot his wife in the head in a mall parking lot before fatally shooting himself. April 28, 2003 -- Witnesses who saw Tacoma Police Chief David Brame shoot his estranged wife in a parking lot just south of Seattle all remember the same thing: the couple's children. Brame kept his job, and eventually rose in department ranks. "They had no idea. A witness said she saw people in the parking lot running around and screaming after the shootings. Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. I interviewed the woman who said Brame had raped her. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? 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. Time has passed, but memories are merciless. The divorce papers were filed in another county, and it was Crystal Brame's wishes to keep the allegations quiet. The children are now in the care of Ms. Brame's mother. The chief and his wife arrived in the parking lot separate cars, with the couples children in Crystal Brames vehicle. In court papers, Brame said his wife scratched, bruised and pushed him during two fights in September 1996. Life was about Crystal Brame, Blackwell said. Brame was pronounced dead at 5:52 p.m. at St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma, Troyer said. One is missing: David Brame, who left a permanent scar that wounded the department and the city. They were in the care of their mothers parents Saturday night, Troyer said. I had a vague tip. 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. GIG HARBOR Tacoma Police Chief David Brame apparently shot his estranged wife and then himself this afternoon, a day after her allegations of abuse were publicized in media reports. Until then, most city officials had been unaware of Chief Brame's conflicts at home, Mayor Bill Baarsma of Tacoma said in an interview today. Police Say Tacoma Chief Shoots Wife, Self. Tacoma police is working with a staff of 50 fewer personnel than it's budgeted for, which has led to longer response times. In court papers, Brame said his wife scratched, bruised and pushed him during two fights in September 1996. 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 Tacoma native had been assistant police chief before being named chief. One witness said she saw people in the parking lot running around and screaming after the shootings.