Tacoma Unanimously Votes For Review Of Manuel Ellis' Death

TACOMA, WA — The City of Tacoma is asking Gov. Inslee for a full independent review into the circumstances that lead to the death of Manuel Ellis.

Ellis was killed while being restrained and cuffed by four Tacoma police officers on March 3. His case drew outrage at the time, which was reignited Wednesday when the Pierce County Medical Examiner ruled Ellis' death a homicide. Their findings officially indicate that Ellis died of "respiratory arrest due to hypoxia due to physical restraint." Ellis did have methamphetamine in his system at the time, which officers say is the reason they had to restrain him in the first place, but the medical examiner has determined that was only a factor in his death and not the primary cause.

After the report, a series of rallies have been held across Tacoma in honor of Ellis' memory, and coinciding with the many rallies against police brutality that have been happening nationwide since the death of George Floyd. Floyd, like Ellis, was killed while being restrained by police. Both of the incidents were filmed, and in both cases the men can be heard pleading with officers that they cannot breathe before being killed.

On Thursday night, Tacoma Mayor Victoria Woodards met with Ellis family, and afterwards called for the firing and prosecution of the four officers involved in Ellis' death: 34-year-old Christopher Burbank, 37-year-old Matthew Collins, 28-year-old Masyih Ford, and 31-year-old Timothy Rankine.

The Pierce County Sheriff's Department has been investigating the case since Ellis' death and says they're about ready to present their findings, but now they're likely to face an extra layer of scrutiny. On Friday, Tacoma City Council and Mayor Woodards voted unanimously to send a letter to Gov. Inslee asking that an independent review be conducted into Ellis' death.

The letter reads in part:

We deeply appreciate that you reached out to our City personally on the day that this news was released and that you share our desire for a full and complete investigation into the death of Manny Ellis. Nothing less is acceptable. Together, we must make sure the outcomes of this case tell the truth.

African American residents across our City and our Nation know that losses of life in police custody are a traumatic but common occurrence. To have lasting change – to try to ensure that other families will not experience a tragedy like this – we must reform our justice system’s standards, policies and procedures. We appreciate the commitments you’ve made to equity. We appreciate your time and look forward to hearing from you about how the community can be assured of a fair process and how to forge lasting change.

Woodards has also pushed for new police reform programs: Thursday she called for Tacoma Police Officers to be fitted with body cams, and in Friday's meeting discussed the possibility that every police shooting be investigated by an independent team going forward.

Related coverage:

Woodards Calls For Firing Of Officers Involved In Ellis' Death

Medical Examiner Rules Manuel Ellis' Death Homicide