Bad Apple Baseball Cards: Brian Muoio
Before he pepper-sprayed those two trans rights protesters in Cal Anderson, Brian was racially profiling Black men, threatening people with Tasers, and saying the word "motherfucker" a lot.
Earlier this week, DivestSPD identified Ofc. Brian Muoio as the officer who doused a crowd in pepper-spray at a protest in Cal Anderson on May 24 before spraying two protesters who were prone on the ground. Muoio is a member of the Community Response Group, a specialized unit at the Seattle Police Department that handles demonstrations as well as so-called problem-oriented policing targeting marginalized groups, such as the homeless and sex workers.
Muoio has previously been investigated for his actions during the George Floyd protests and is currently under investigation for an incident at Alki Beach in February. He has been disciplined several times for aggressive and escalatory behavior, primarily involving Black subjects.
A review of his Terry stops, otherwise known as investigative detentions, shows a clear pattern of racial bias. Around 28 percent of those he has stopped in his career are Black people, who comprise 7 percent of Seattle’s population. Only about 1 in 10 of those stops resulted in an arrest.
By contrast, 52 percent of Muoio’s stops involved white people, who make up 60 percent of the city. Nearly one in four of those ended in cuffs. In other words, his stops of white Seattleites were far more likely to be based on a “reasonable suspicion” of actual wrongdoing.
Let’s look at his disciplinary history.
2018 Unconstitutional search
Two men set off the alarm when they entered a Patagonia store. They were told they weren’t allowed to bring their bags inside the changing room. They were asked to leave, and the police were called.
Muoio asked if he could search the man’s backpack, and he refused. When the man said he couldn’t do that. Muoio asked him, “What laws says I can’t go through your backpack?” (Editor’s note: Fourth Amendment of the Constitution)
Muoio searched the bag anyway and found clothes with tags on them, but couldn’t prove they were stolen.
The Office of Police Accountability found the search was unconstitutional because there was no warrant, consent to search, or exigency, nor was it incident to arrest.
Explaining its findings, the OPA said it was “problematic and concerning” that Muoio didn’t understand that this search was unlawful
He was given an oral reprimand for violating SPD’s search policy, but, curiously, not for breaking the law even though the OPA says explicitly that he did.
2019 Threatened a Black man with a Taser
A man on the side of the road had a flat tire. Muoio stopped to see if he needed assistance. He said he didn’t. As Muoio drove away, he noticed that his back license plate didn’t match his front plate.
Muoio whipped back around and told him that it was illegal. The man argued with him about it. Muio took out his Taser.
The man told Muoio: “We can walk over to the sidewalk, but I just gotta understand what’s going on. What do you have in your hand?” Muoio pointed the Taser at him and said: “I got a Taser…and if you don’t listen to my commands, you’ll be tased.”
Muoio told him that he was going to be cuffed, and after he argued some more, Muoio said: “All I’m asking for is your fucking ID, so give me your fucking ID.”
The man was eventually released without charge, but he asked to speak to a supervisor to complain that Muoio only treated him like this because he was Black.
In his OPA interview, Muoio was unrepentant. He stated that he was “too nice” and his only regret is that he didn’t arrest him. Muoio also claimed the man looked threatening, as if he were getting ready to fight, but the video didn’t show this.
The OPA didn’t sustain bias allegations and only issued Muoio a reprimand, calling his behavior “aggressive, escalating, and unwarranted.” It added that he is a “hard-working and well-thought-of officer and hopes that this case ultimately provides a learning experience.”
2020 Wrongfully stopped a Black youth
Muoio was searching for two Black juveniles who had assaulted someone at a convenience store.
He stopped a young Black male walking with two women. His clothes didn’t match the description, only his race and approximate age. The young man ran.
Muoio chased him screaming “You’re going to get tased mother fucker” and “Seattle Police, stop mother fucker.”
Muoio took him down, causing a scrape on his knee. The young man also claimed Muoio put his knee on his neck. Muoio asked why he ran. He said that he thought Muoio was reaching for his gun and was going to kill him.
When the witnesses showed up, they said he wasn’t the man who committed the assault, and he was ultimately let go.
The OPA sustained findings, again for using profanity, and, again, praised him as a “well-respected and extraordinarily competent officer.” He received a written reprimand.
2020 Slammed a protester’s head to the ground
During the George Floyd uprising, Muoio was attempting to rip a protester’s shield away. They struggled, and Muoio took him to the ground. Other officers simultaneously pepper-sprayed him.
The protester reported to a lieutenant that Muoio had slammed his head into the ground, scraping his forehead.
Muoio claims that he fell and reached out to break his fall. In doing so, his hand touched the back of the protester’s head and “may have caused [his] head to hit against the ground.”
OPA ruled this incident “inconclusive” because they couldn’t see it clearly on the body cameras, couldn’t find additional video, and (supposedly) couldn’t contact the complainant.
2022 Tasered a man, called him a ‘Motherfucker’
Muoio stopped a vehicle for having plates that didn’t match the vehicle description on the registration. The man got out and fled on foot.
Muoio, screaming “He’s right there. Get him . . . Get him . . . Get that motherfucker,” chased him through a shopping center along with other officers until they reached a dead end.
He shouted: “You’re going to get tased motherfucker. You’re going to get tased.”
The man struggled with officers, and Muoio tased him. He was arrested for misdemeanor obstruction.
The OPA would have sustained allegations for unprofessionalism, but it could not because the investigation deadline set in the police guild contract had lapsed. However, it noted that Muoio repeatedly received counseling and discipline for the same behavior but continued to show a “willful disregard” for the policy.
2025 Taunted, pointed a pepperball gun
2025OPA-0047
In February, the CRG was called in to police an immigrant rights march in Alki Beach. Video from protesters on the ground showed Muoio acting aggressively.
He was taunting protesters, pushing them back, and pointing his pepperball gun directly at their faces.
Later, as officers were leaving, he was seen grinning mockingly and blowing kisses.
There’s an ongoing investigation into this incident for force use and de-escalation violations.