One cop threatened to beat another 'to death' over botched bust
One cop threatened to beat another 'to death' over botched bust
After he was dressed down for blowing a drug investigation, Ofc. Ryan Rose said he wanted to show another officer how they do things "in Texas."
Seattle police officer Ryan Rose challenged another cop to a fight after he “Leeroy Jenkins’d” a drug investigation last fall, according to a newly released report by the Office of Police Accountability.
In September, Ofc. Seth Romeo responded to a call from a man who said he witnessed people selling drugs near the intersection of 24th Ave S and S Washington. He sent out a radio call notifying other officers to stay out of the area. According to his written statement, Romeo planned to observe from a nearby balcony, but as he was walking to the building, Rose drove up 24th and stopped at the scene, causing the purported drug suspects to flee.
He’s not sneaky at all. He fucking Leeroy Jenkins’d this fucking call, bro.
Two other responding officers, Nicholas Burgess and Alejandro Alcazar, told Romeo that Rose “blew” the call and mocked him, calling him a “fucking idiot.” Alcazar said, laughing, “He thinks he was being sneaky,” to which Burgess replied, “He’s not sneaky at all. He fucking Leeroy Jenkins’d this fucking call, bro,” referring to a World of Warcraft meme about a player ruins a battle plan by charging in.
Romeo contacted Rose to discuss what he did wrong. He told Rose that he should’ve signed on to the call and advised the primary officer of his presence. While he was initially apologetic, Rose became angry when Romeo declined his request to talk to him more one-on-one. Romeo wrote that he believed Rose would escalate if that happened and preferred to speak in front of Alcazar and Burgess, who were parked nearby.
Rose called Romeo a “pussy” and said he was afraid to talk to him “man to man.” Romeo told Rose, who was hired in 2020, that he should defer to officers with more experience and that Rose was “low on the metaphorical totem pole.” Rose challenged him to a fight, telling Romeo, “I swear on my two kids, I got you on anything physical, jiujitsu, wrestling, etc.”
He is lucky that I am not off duty. I would drag him out the car and beat him to death.
Burgess intervened and stepped between the two officers, saying, “This isn't how we handle things.” Rose told Romeo, “See, you’re the type to run to a supervisor. In Texas, we do things differently.”
He later told Burgess, “He is lucky that I am not off duty. I would drag him out the car and beat him to death.” According to Romeo’s statement, Rose was “triggered” by Burgess saying that Rose “thinks he’s demonstrating strength, but it’s really showing mental/emotional weaknes.” Burgess said Rose’s veins were bulging in his forehead, and his eyes were “glazed over.”
Romeo added, “I fully believe Ofc. Rose is incapable of the emotional and mental control needed to not act on an impulse to assault me.” Rose was placed on administrative leave, pending investigation, and given counseling at SPD’s Wellness Unit.
In his OPA interview, Rose claimed he intended to challenge Romeo to a “physical feat” like wrestling at Park 90/5, SPD’s training gym. He also said that his comments about beating Romeo “to death” were made out of anger and frustration about being disrespected as a newer officer and a minority.
Ultimately, OPA did not find Rose violated any laws because mutual combat is legal in Washington, and his statements did not meet the definition of a criminal threat. However, OPA sustained professionalism allegations and Rose was given an oral reprimand, the lowest form of discipline.
Rose is currently facing an Equal Employment complaint—and it isn’t his first. Another officer filed an EEO complaint against Rose while at the police academy. The complainant alleged that Rose and another officer bullied him and were dishonest. The OPA found most of those allegations inconclusive, citing a lack of independent corroboration.