Man Killed by Police was Trying to Break up Fight, says Brother

It was a misunderstanding. That's what the family of Ricky Camat says. Just four years ago, Camat became a millionaire playing the lottery. On Sunday a Seattle police officer shot and killed the 32-year-old. Camat's family says Ricky was trying to break up a fight outside a Pioneer Square bar. They say he pulled his gun and fired it in the air to disperse the crowd. His brother Brian Camat told KOMO 4 News what happened. "He shot one time in the air, he didn't point at no one, just one time in the air. He was freaked out there was all these guys he just wanted everyone to flee the scene." Moments later he was dead. "They (police) didn't tell him to freeze they didn't tell him to drop his weapon, he shot him as he was running back to the car," said Brian. But Seattle police say 10 witnesses back their version of the story. They insist that Ricky Camat refused to drop his gun and even pointed it at the officers. "The officers repeatedly ordered the subject to drop his weapon, we have several citizens that told us that and the subject refused to comply with their request," said Assistant Police Chief Cynthia Miller. [more ] and [more ]