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Protest for David Babcock gathers outside Sedro-Woolley Police Department

Crowd calls for justice and transparency

Elizabeth Babcock
Elizabeth Babcock (Hailey Hoffman/Cascadia Daily News)
By Kai Uyehara News Intern

SEDRO-WOOLLEY — Protesters gathered Saturday on the steps of the Sedro-Woolley Police Department, calling for transparency and justice over the officer-involved shooting that resulted in the death of 51-year-old David Babcock.

The group of about 30 hoisted signs reading “Justice for David Babcock” and “No justice, no peace” along the roadside and received honks of support from passing cars.

Among the assembly were Babcock’s wife, Regina Babcock, and daughter Elizabeth Babcock.

David Babcock was shot in the back of the head on Feb. 16 by a Sedro-Woolley police officer after evading Mt. Vernon police who suspected his vehicle to be stolen. David Babcock was shot when swerving around traffic spikes laid out by the police who were standing near the side of the road, according to an account from Babcock’s family after viewing police video of the incident.

photo  Tire tread impressions and spray paint left by police investigators mark David Babcock’s route before he was shot and killed by a Sedro-Woolley police officer last February, near the intersection of Fruitdale and McGarigle Roads. (Hailey Hoffman/Cascadia Daily News)  

The Skagit-Island Multi-Agency Response Team (SMART), an independent law-enforcement investigation agency, is currently investigating the case. SMART has not released body-worn camera footage publicly, except to the Babcock family, nor identified the officer who shot Babcock, or the reason he may have eluded police.

“The team is doing everything they can to work through the investigation and as more information comes to light and we can disclose that, it will be put out,” said Trooper Jacob Kennett, spokesman for SMART.

SMART hasn’t released any new information about the investigation for two weeks. For those at the protest, the minimal information released is an issue of transparency.

“We deserve to know the name of the policeman involved,” Rebecca Peck said at the protest. Peck had been following the case on social media. “We deserve to know if he’s on leave. Is he going to drive by here right now?”

Many in attendance want the Sedro-Woolley Police Department to release the bodycam footage so the public can see for themselves whether Babcock’s swerve from the road really was endangering the lives of the officers at the scene.


“The family’s already seen the body camera footage, so we don’t understand what the holdup is,” said Matt Uyeno, the protest organizer. “The longer they let it go on, the more these rumors that David aimed his vehicle at the cops and tried to run them over” continue. 

Uyeno doesn’t know the Babcocks personally, but organized the protest, not wanting Babcock’s memory or the officer-involved shooting to be swept over. Uyeno, 44, has organized protests for George Floyd, Manny Ellis and local teenager Joel Salgado around Skagit County. 

photo  Matt Uyeno helped organize the protest outside the Sedro-Woolley Police Department. (Hailey Hoffman/Cascadia Daily News)  

While protesting on the roadside, Uyeno invited family and friends to share a word about Babcock. 

“We all make mistakes in life, but one thing is certain: he didn’t deserve to die,” said Thor Andrews Sr., a life-long friend of Babcock. “I don’t care what the circumstances were.”

Babcock had a history of run-ins with the Sedro-Woolley police, which makes Andrews believe the officers knew the suspect was Babcock while engaging him.

“He was a very loving father and grandfather,” Regina Babcock said. “Dave touched a lot of people because he really was a good person.”

Uyeno not only wanted the protest to take place outside of the police department to protect protestors, along with a security team who was present, but also to drive a message home to the police themselves.

“For the last five years, I’ve been sounding the alarm, mostly talking to a brick wall, but this was like my worst fear coming true,” Uyeno said.

Uyeno and his friends wanted the protest to strike onlookers with the reality that unjustified police shootings can happen in even small towns, and to demonstrate to the Sedro-Wolley Police Department that they will receive criticism for their actions. 

“This ain’t a Seattle thing, a Baltimore thing, it can actually happen in Woolley,” protester Adam Evans said.

“We’re watching them, we’re not gonna take this lying down,” Uyeno said. “We’re going to ask for answers.”

In addition to the protest, Uyeno set up a fundraising account for the Babcock family to use however they like, aware that their income may be cut in half with Babcock’s passing. 

Regina Babcock said she may use some of the funds to hold two funerals for her husband, one for family and one for friends.

“There’s a lot of people and there’s a lot of people who want to say goodbye to him,” she said. 

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