Death by Cop 2021-2025
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Spencer Allan Clayborn
Age : 25
Gender : Male
Race : Native American
Date : 09/04/2021
Location : 7300 block 150th Street Southwest
City : Lakewood
County : Pierce
State : Washington
Agency : Lakewood Police Department
Officer(s) :Jason Catlett
Cause of Death : Gunshot
Event : Killed by police during armed disturbance call
OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :
On 09/04/2021, 25-year-old Spencer Allan Clayborn was shot and killed by Lakewood Police Department Sgt. Jason Catlett after police responded to multiple 911 calls reporting a man firing numerous rounds at an apartment complex in the 7300 block of 150th Street SW in Lakewood.
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South Sound 911 began receiving calls at 8:28 p.m. Dispatchers reported that they could hear gunshots in the background while callers described a man firing numerous rounds in the apartment-complex parking lot. Lakewood police and officers from neighboring agencies responded.
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Officers began arriving at approximately 8:36 p.m. At 8:39 p.m., a Lakewood officer radioed that Clayborn was allegedly shooting at police. Moments later, dispatch was advised that police had shot him. Clayborn was pronounced dead at the scene.
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The Pierce County Medical Examiner identified Clayborn and determined that he died from a gunshot wound to the neck. His manner of death was homicide.
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The Pierce County Force Investigation Team conducted the independent investigation. The Pierce County Prosecutor's Office was notified immediately, and an investigator from that office responded to the scene. Catlett was placed on administrative leave.
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PCFIT publicly identified Catlett as the officer who shot Clayborn on 09/16/2021. Despite weekly public updates, PCFIT released virtually no additional substantive information about the shooting while the investigation remained open.
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PCFIT completed its investigation in March 2022 and submitted the case to the Pierce County Prosecutor's Office for review on 03/17/2022. The final PCFIT update, issued 03/24/2022, stated that the independent investigation was complete and that no further updates would be issued.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND:
Jason Catlett had previously participated in another fatal Lakewood police shooting. On 01/13/2019, Catlett, John Babcock and Jonathon Beard shot and killed 43-year-old Keith Lawrence Harvey at the Terrace Apartments in Lakewood during a mental health crisis.
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Harvey himself had called 911 and reported an armed stranger inside his apartment. Police subsequently determined that Harvey had apparently described himself to dispatchers. Police said Harvey approached officers holding a kitchen knife. Catlett fired four rounds; Babcock and Beard fired another 11 rounds between them. Harvey was killed. The Pierce County Prosecutor's Office subsequently ruled that Catlett, Babcock and Beard acted justifiably.
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The Clayborn shooting was therefore Catlett's second fatal police shooting in less than three years.
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Catlett later became the subject of sustained Lakewood Police Department misconduct investigations concerning racist and anti-LGBTQ comments about fellow officers. Lakewood originally demoted Catlett in 2024. Following arbitration, the demotion was reduced to a 10-day suspension, Catlett was restored to his sergeant position and received back pay.
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Records reported by The News Tribune showed that Catlett and Detective Noah Dier were investigated over inappropriate comments concerning colleagues' race and sexual identity. Catlett had also served as president of the Lakewood Police Independent Guild. Lakewood's 2024 annual reporting showed seven misconduct allegations and two internal investigations that year; all seven allegations were sustained.
SOURCE LINKS :
https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/suspect-killed-in-officer-involved-shooting-in-lakewood
https://www.piercecountywa.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=5327&ARC=9213
https://www.piercecountywa.gov/DocumentCenter/View/107974/Sept-16-PCFIT-7300-blk-of-150th-ST-SW
https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/crime/article254318018.html
https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/article304879871.html
