Officer involved shooting in Kent ruled homicide

A report from the King County Medical Examiner’s office is giving more perspective on an officer-involved shooting in Kent last week.

According to the report, the deceased is identified as 33-year-old Christian Moshosky.

The ME’s office ruled Moshosky’s death a homicide.

While this finding is a medical rather than a legal determination, it contradicts the initial information released by the Kent Police Department.

During an interview hours after the shooting, Kent Police Chief Rafael Padilla said, “There is an indication that the cause of death may have been a self-inflicted gunshot wound.”

Padilla said that the information was “initial,” pointing to the investigation by the Valley Independent Investigation team, of which the Port of Seattle Police are up in the rotation to lead the investigation.

On the Labor Day holiday, no one from the Medical Examiner’s Office was available to clarify why the Office ruled Moshosky’s death a homicide.

The Kent Police did not answer phone calls or emails Monday seeking comment, and the Port of Seattle said there was no information to release at this time.

Four bullet holes can still be seen in the top floor of the Madison Plaza apartment building, located on the outskirts of downtown Kent.

Padilla said officers could still hear gunfire as they arrived to a call of at least six gunshots fired near the building on Wednesday, August 28.

The initial release from Kent Police said officers believed they were being fired at and returned fire towards the top of the apartment building.

“We believe he did fire in the direction of the person shooting,” Padilla said.

KIRO 7 has filed a public disclosure of records request for the body camera from the scene, but the request was denied because of the pending investigation.

On the day of the shooting, Padilla spoke generally about police protocols when officers use deadly force.

“There are other issues to consider... like backdrop, other people in the shot, making sure we don’t have bullets that go to places we don’t want them to,” he said.

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