Reward in Seattle officer's killing up to $105,000

Reward in Seattle officer's killing up to $105,000

Officials announce the new reward on Wednesday.

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By KOMO Staff & News Services

SEATTLE - The Seattle Police Officers Guild and Seattle Firefighters Union announced Wednesday that a reward for information leading to an arrest and prosecution of whomever is responsible for the killing of a Seattle police officer has grown to $105,000.

Anyone with a tip is asked to call (206) 233-5000.

Detectives have been looking through more than a terabyte of video gathered from patrol cars, red light cameras and business surveillance systems - from Seattle's Central District neighborhood. The goal has been to identify the car used in the Halloween drive-by shooting of an officer on a traffic stop.

Police had previously said they were looking for a car described as a light-colored sedan - possibly light beige, white or silver - but no detailed description of the vehicle or suspected shooter was available. Meanwhile, detectives investigating the murder of Officer Tim Brenton said video from a patrol car's dash camera shows a car similar to the light-colored subcompact from which the fatal shots were fired.

On Wednesday, the "vehicle of interest" was apparently identified. A source speaking on condition of anonymity said investigators have issued a confidential bulletin with a description, including the make, model and color of the vehicle, to law enforcement officers throughout the state. However, police told KATU's Seattle news partner KOMO that they are withholding this information so that, when tips come in, they will know exactly if it's about the suspect they want. 

We do know that the car may have a bullet hole in it. Investigators believe an officer-in-training who was grazed by one of the bullets, Britt Sweeney, shot the car as it fled the scene.

Footage shows that, after the shooting that killed Brenton and grazed Sweeney, the attacker's car backed away in what police called "an apparent attempt to avoid the police car's camera." It's a move police said indicates that the shooting was planned.

Brenton was a nine-year veteran of the Seattle Police Department. He graduated from West Seattle High School in 1988. His father and his uncle are both retired Seattle police officers.

A public memorial service for Brenton is scheduled for Friday at 1 p.m. at KeyArena. Doors will open at 11 a.m., and a procession of more than 1,000 vehicles will travel through the city in advance of the service beginning at 9 a.m.

A memorial fund has been established to help the slain officer's family. Donations may be made at any Bank of America branch under the "Brenton Family Assistance Fund.

Donations are being accepted to increase the reward fund offered to find the killer. Donations are being made directly to Crime Stoppers at 1 (800) 222-TIPS.

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