Tragic Day in Tacoma

[Nitey]

Tacoma Police Chief Shoots Wife, Self
By TIM KLASS

GIG HARBOR, Wash. (AP) - The wife of Tacoma Police Chief David Brame was in critical condition with a gunshot wound to the head after being shot by her husband, who then turned the gun on himself.

The apparent murder-suicide attempt in the parking lot of a shopping center happened Saturday, a day after abuse allegations in the couple's divorce case were publicized in media reports, authorities said.

Brame, 44, was pronounced dead at St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma, Pierce County Sheriff's Detective Ed Troyer said.

``It's a bad day for law enforcement,'' Troyer said. ``This is somebody everybody knew and respected.''

His wife, Crystal, was flown to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, where she was listed in critical condition.

``These are the kinds of things that are just nightmares,'' Mayor Bill Baarsma told a television station. ``He was a proud and loving father. It was a beautiful couple.''

The chief and his wife arrived in the parking lot in separate cars, with the couple's children, an 8-year-old girl and 5-year-old boy, riding with their mother. At one point, the chief brought the children to his car, then went back to his wife's car, where the pair engaged in a heated conversation, witnesses told authorities.

Witnesses reported hearing two quick shots from the parking lot, Troyer said. One witness said she saw people running around and screaming after the shots were fired.

``They had no idea. They were just running for safety,'' said Kirsten Oakland, 36, and a hair stylist at Harbor Cutter, a shop that looks out onto the parking lot.

The children ran toward their mother's car after hearing the shots, Troyer said.

``I heard one of the children say, 'Daddy shot Mommy,' ... words to that effect,'' said Dana Mossman, who was standing in front of a coffee shop when she heard a ``pop, pop'' sound and then saw a woman lying in a pool of blood.

Another woman in the parking lot scooped up the children and took them into a video store in the strip mall. They were in the care of their mother's parents Saturday night, Troyer said.

Officers recovered a Glock .45-caliber semiautomatic handgun but Troyer would not say whether it was the chief's service weapon.

Catherine Woodard, assistant chief for criminal investigations, was named acting police chief. She is the first woman to head the police force in Tacoma, a city of 194,000.

Brame rose through the ranks to become police chief in January 2002. He was among officials who announced that a witness came forward with evidence that could tie two shootings in Tacoma to sniper shooting suspects John Allen Muhammad and Lee Boyd Malvo.

``He was exactly what you want, rose up through the ranks, worked very hard and made chief,'' Troyer said.

But do***ents in the couple's divorce case recounted a stormy, sometimes violent relationship, according to a Friday report in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

Crystal Brame, 35, said her husband pointed his gun at her, trying to choke her and saying he ``could snap my neck if he wanted to.''

But Brame said he had been victimized in the relationship. He said his wife had a ``ferocious temper'' and was emotionally unstable.

In court papers, Brame said his wife scratched, bruised and pushed him during two fights in September 1996.

In her court filings, Crystal Brame, said her husband refused to let her use their credit card without permission, checked her car's odometer to monitor trips to the grocery store and left his loaded service revolver on a bedroom shelf within reach of their two children.

Shortly before they separated in February, Brame pointed his service revolver at her, ``telling me, 'Accidents happen,''' according to the court do***ents.

The incidents were not reported to police and Brame denied choking or pointing his gun at his wife.

Crystal Brame filed a sworn statement on March 26, stating that Brame threatened her again, court papers said. She indicated she might ask for a restraining order, but the court file does not reflect that she actually did so.


04/27/03 03:50

:(

[Island_Girl]

Those poor babies. God help them!!

[gdowkpc]

I remove my post...it just wasn't thought out well enuf. There are so many angles to cover, and I covered the wrong one.

[tommygenewoolworth]

I recieved the articles through email and read then in the Rp news section and on another site .............

Appears the Chief of Tacoma is a beater, plain and simple.

Like Island girl I feel sorry for the kids, however this again is another example of a community (Tacoma) not taking what happens in Domesitc Violence situtation seriously. I am sure the Chief was a good LE administrator, but to put his children and even the mother of his kids through this type of hell is should not have been tolderated period.

Until we as Law Enforcement Officers, work to have our communities speak out against Domestic Violence, people like the Chief of Tacoma will be able to commit this crime without fear of punishment.

I guess my question is who is speaking for the victim and the kids???

tomahawk134

[tommygenewoolworth]

I cannot let this incident past without saying a few choice words ....................

I am sure there will be alot of talk about all of the things the David Brame accomplished, how squared away he was, how he particiapted in high profile arrests, rose through the ranks, etc.

It is one thing to accomplish these things as a LE professional, but still another when you commit a crime like this .............

GDOWKPC suggests the press is partly to blame for making public the allegations of the David Brame conduct .., I say no way, BRAME is a public servant. His life on and off duty can be reviewed. Besides, we hold Law Enforcement Officers to a higher standard of conduct.

The allegations reported in the court do***ents should have been investigated. The courts where the papers were filed had an obligation to report these allegations. The attorneys had the responsibility to report these allegations. CRYSTAL BRAME allegations were not taken seriously, not investigated. The blame falls squarely on the court, the attorneys and the Tacoma Police Department. They allow CRYSTAL BRAME to seriously injuired, They allow the children to witness their mother be shot.

I suggest this type of conduct could not have gone on with someone in Tacoma or surronding Law enforcement department knowing about his abuse. Someone knows about his abusive behavior. I further suggest they should be CRIMINALLY CHARGED with failing to protect CRYSTAL BRAME and the children. Again ethical standards of conduct for law enforcement officers apply.

I find it offensive David BRAME would be called a "Proud and Loving Father," by Bill Baarsma, the Mayor of Tacoma. This illustrates the City of Tacoma, and the Tacoma Police Department are not serious about investigating, eliminating and helping victims of Domestic Violence.

BRAME has now opened up the City of Tacoma, the Police Department and other law enforcement agencies for law suits.

Until we as Law Enforcment Officers take Dometic Violence Crimes seriously, CRYSTAL BRAME, her kids and other victims of Domestic Violence will live in fear.

tomahawk134

[zander_zye]

Well said Tomahawk. And I agree wholeheartedly with what you wrote.

Personal responsibility is perhaps the most important thing a LE officer has going for themselves. LE must be held to a higher standard, and to a greater degree in the upper ranks.

What is the law in other states concerning domestic violence and LE? In CA, even for misdemeandor DV, you lose your right to carry a gun (hence, you lose your job). A TRO or RO will guarantee at least desk duty and an investigation (in some high profile cases, termination)

[tommygenewoolworth]

Zander:

thanks for the vote of confidence, I am just sick and tired of seeing so many DV cases going un investigated. We hav eto eliminate DV..

As for other states I am not sure ayhow, thanks for the vote of confidence

tomahawk134

[vbgecko]

Good lord what is this world coming to?

Last year a police chief in southern Minnesota purposely lit his ex girlfriends apartment building on fire ... He was hoping to play hero by rescuing her and her kids from the fire ... Thankfull in this case the woman and her kids escaped injury, but the police chief ended up torching most of the historic downtown area ...

[Island_Girl]

We live in a very high DV area. It's a different culture here altogether. The children here are a little tougher as well. We spend quite a bit of time in the evenings "reprogramming" our girls. Two days ago, the girls came home to tell us that the school bus driver was beat up on the playground in front of all the children. It was the bus driver's husband that was abusing her just as she dropped off the children. Our girls missed it entirely because they aren't allowed to play on the playground during non-recess hours (my guidelines). I wasn't sure whether I should take the girls out of school or not. Who knows what this guy is going to do next. Needless to say, I was worried and VERY angry that someone could do this in front of these children.

As for punishment, I was told by a top LE official that in some places....if you are charged with domestic violence, you will never be allowed to own a firearm or even be around any gun components such as powder/TNT. Meaning, you could never have a job in construction/demolition if you were ever convicted of DV. I know I didn't explain that as well as he did. Perhaps someone else might know the particular law and be able to define it a little better. When I initially heard of it, I thought it was awesome!!!