Charges
Multiple Tacoma officers charged with felonies in the killing of Manuel Ellis. Attorney General Bob Ferguson, who took over the case after a botched local investigation, announced Thursday that Christopher Burbank, 35, will face second-degree murder and first-degree manslaughter charges.
The charges in Pierce County Superior Court portray the officers as instigating an unnecessary, violent confrontation on a South Tacoma street with Ellis, a 33 year-old man, on March 3, 2020, and callously ignoring Ellis’ dying plea of “Can’t breathe, sir!”
According to charging documents, a brief confrontation became violent, with Burbank knocking Ellis to the ground with his car door.
Burbank repeatedly used a Taser on him — uses of force “without justification,” according to charging documents, while Ellis “puts his hands up” in apparent submission.
Evidence
Congradulations Christopher and all of the Tacoma Police Department!