King County Sends Redmond Police Shooting Case To Prosecutors

REDMOND, WA — The King County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday announced it had completed its supplemental investigation of a Redmond police shooting last September, when two officers shot Andrea Churna, a 39-year-old mother, killing her.

Under Washington's Initiative 940, police use of force incidents generally require an independent investigation from an outside law enforcement agency. Once complete, the findings are transmitted to the prosecuting attorney for review and a determination on whether the officers' actions constituted criminal wrongdoing. In the Redmond case, the investigation was handled by King County's major crimes unit.

The sheriff's office initially forwarded the case to the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office in January, but prosecutors sent it back for additional investigation in March.

Churna was shot by police shortly after calling 911 on Sept. 20, 2020. According to Redmond police, officers were dispatched after a 911 call from a woman who reported someone was trying to kill her. When they arrived at the apartment complex, officers said they found her standing on her balcony, and she told them she had called 911 and may have shot someone. Investigators said the woman pointed a gun at the officers at some point during the response, and officers fired several shots at her.

Last week, KUOW published an investigative story piecing together the events through police reports, witness interviews, 911 calls and radio traffic. The public radio station found Churna was shot multiple times in a hallway, while she was unarmed.

On Monday, Redmond Police Chief Darrell Lowe sent a community message about the shooting, extending condolences to Churna's family and promising a "thorough, comprehensive, and transparent review of this volatile incident." Lowe also said he had "no reason to believe" the officers would face criminal charges.

King County prosecutors will review the completed investigation and will share details once a charging decision is reached.