Angry Prostesters Take to the Streets in Seattle

A group of about 200 protesters took to the Seattle streets Wednesday night, angry that a local police officer was not charged with murder after he shot and killed a local woodcarver in a split-second decision last August:

KING-TV reports:

More demonstrations are possible over the next few days following the decision to not file charges against the Seattle police officer in the fatal shooting of a First Nations woodcarver.

Protesters marched through downtown Seattle Wednesday, frustrated over KIng County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg's decision to not charge officer Ian Birk for the shooting death of John. T. Williams last August.

The demonstration, which spread from downtown to Capitol Hill, were mostly peaceful, aside from a few scuffles. Several groups plan additional protests for Friday and Saturday.

Although Birk was not charged, a Seattle Police Department review board said the shooting was not justified. Satterberg acknowledged that while Birk made serious tactical errors, there's no proof he acted with evil intent. That's a decision many don't agree with.

"We do not and legally cannot put police officers on trial for murder or send them to prison for their discretion to use deadly force in good faith and without malice, however tragic the outcome may be," King County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg told KING-TV on  Wednesday, referencing a Washington state law.