Urban Seay Family Files $30 Million Tort Claim Against Seattle After Fatal Southwest Precinct Police Shooting

The family of Urban Andrew Seay, a 36-year-old Seattle man fatally shot by a Seattle police officer at the department’s Southwest Precinct in March 2025, has filed a $30 million administrative tort claim against the City of Seattle, according to reporting published September 30, 2026.

The claim reportedly alleges wrongful death, negligence, excessive force, failure to de-escalate and failure to properly respond to Seay during a mental-health crisis. It follows an August 2026 decision by King County prosecutors to decline criminal charges against the involved officer.

That criminal decision does not end the matter. The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office stated that its review did not address a potential civil action, and civil cases use different legal standards.

As of October 1, 2026, there is no civil court case number, no judgment and no settlement. The $30 million is the amount the family is demanding, not an amount awarded.

Quick Facts: Urban Seay Family’s $30 Million Seattle Tort Claim

Detail	Information
Decedent	Urban Andrew Seay, age 36
Date of shooting	March 19, 2025
Location	Seattle Police Department Southwest Precinct, 2300 SW Webster St., Seattle
Claim recipient	City of Seattle
Amount demanded	$30,000,000
Type of filing	Administrative tort claim
Reported allegations	Wrongful death, negligence, excessive force, failure to de-escalate, disability-related failures
Family’s attorneys (as reported)	Mark Lindquist and Angus Lee
Reported filing date	September 30, 2026
Criminal review	King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office declined charges (August 2026)
Civil lawsuit filed?	Not yet publicly reported
Court / case number	None identified
Settlement	None announced
Class action / public claim form	No

What Happened to Urban Seay at the Southwest Precinct?

On March 19, 2025, Seay’s wife called 911 at about 12:15 p.m. after receiving what she described as a suicide text. She told the dispatcher that Seay had previously experienced suicidal thoughts and that his vehicle was at the nearby Home Depot.

Police encountered Seay inside the secured parking area of the Southwest Precinct. According to the King County investigation, one officer calmly spoke with him and began directing him toward an exit. Seay initially followed those instructions but then turned back. Security footage showed him taking a knife from his pocket and turning toward officers while holding it.

Officers repeatedly ordered him to drop the knife and moved backward while giving commands. An officer fired a 40mm less-lethal launcher, which did not stop him. Another officer then fired a department-issued handgun, discharging four cartridges. Officers gave immediate medical aid, but Seay died of his injuries.

The King County Medical Examiner recorded the cause of death as multiple gunshot wounds.

The Family’s Version of Events

The family’s claim, as described in news coverage, tells the story differently. According to reporting on the claim:

• Seay was experiencing an acute mental-health crisis and was armed with a folding pocketknife.
• He appeared confused and “meandered” around a patrol vehicle for more than a minute.
• Plaintiffs’ attorneys say that when the shots were fired, Seay was about 35 feet from the nearest officer and was jogging away from the officer holding the less-lethal launcher.
• About seven seconds reportedly passed between a supervising officer’s direction to use the 40mm launcher and the round being fired, and the officer who fired the handgun was the only officer to use lethal force.

These are the family’s allegations. They have not been established by a court, and they conflict with the conclusions of the criminal review described below.

What Did King County Prosecutors Decide?

The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office published a 56-page decline memorandum on August 11, 2026, after reviewing the independent investigation by the Seattle Police Department’s Force Investigation Team. Prosecutors reviewed police reports, civilian statements, dispatch records, search warrants, crime-scene evidence, medical records, autopsy and toxicology information, officer statements, body-worn video, in-car video and other evidence.

The office declined to file criminal charges. The memorandum concluded that a factfinder would likely find the officer reasonably believed Seay posed a serious physical threat because he had a knife, did not comply with commands and moved toward officers. It also concluded the officer acted in good faith, that deadly force was necessary under the criminal standards applied, and that the officer’s actions were lawful and justifiable under Washington’s justifiable-homicide defenses.

The memorandum further reports that officers used time, distance, shielding and communication to try to de-escalate, and that Seattle’s Office of Police Accountability separately concluded the use of lethal force was objectively reasonable, necessary and proportional and that the officer did not fail to de-escalate.

What Allegations Does the Seattle Tort Claim Raise?

According to reporting on the claim, the family’s allegations include:

• Excessive force (Fourth Amendment): firing four lethal rounds at a person described as confused and moving away, about 35 feet from the nearest officer.
• Wrongful death and state-law torts: negligence, and reportedly assault and battery.
• Failure to de-escalate: the family argues officers did not follow Seattle’s de-escalation directives, pointing to the delay in using the less-lethal launcher and the escalation to deadly force.
• Disability-related failures: the family reportedly alleges police failed to accommodate Seay’s known mental-health crisis, including under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The exact claims, defendants and legal theories should be confirmed from the actual complaint if a lawsuit is filed. The administrative claim is not proof that any particular federal cause of action, such as one under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, has been filed.

What Does a “$30 Million Tort Claim” Actually Mean?

A tort claim against a Washington city is an administrative step that generally must come before a qualifying lawsuit against a local government.

Under RCW 4.96.020, a person seeking damages from a local governmental entity must present a claim to the government’s designated agent. The claim must include the circumstances of the injury, the injury itself, the people involved and the amount of damages claimed. A tort action covered by the statute cannot be commenced until 60 calendar days have passed after the claim is presented, and the limitations period is tolled during that time.

The 60 days is a waiting period before the family can sue. The statute does not require the city to pay the amount demanded, and it does not set a deadline for the city to accept, deny or negotiate the claim.

The $30 million figure is therefore a demand. No court has awarded the family anything.

Criminal Review vs. Civil Claim: What’s the Difference?

The prosecutors were deciding whether the evidence supported criminal charges against the officer, which would require the state to meet the criminal burden of proof (beyond a reasonable doubt) and overcome defenses such as justifiable homicide.

A civil wrongful-death or excessive-force case asks different questions. It involves different claims and defendants and generally a lower burden of proof (more likely than not). The prosecutor’s memorandum itself states that the criminal review was not meant to address the propriety or likely outcome of a civil action.

So the family can pursue a civil claim even though prosecutors declined to charge the officer. It also means the claim, by itself, does not establish that Seattle or any officer is liable.

What Happens Next?

If the claim was presented on September 30, 2026, the 60-day waiting period would end around November 29, 2026. The precise date depends on the date the claim was actually presented.

Possible outcomes include:

1. Seattle resolves the claim without litigation.
2. The city disputes liability and damages.
3. The parties negotiate a settlement.
4. The family files a civil lawsuit, in state or federal court, after the waiting period.

Separately, Seattle’s Office of Police Accountability and Office of Inspector General handle their own reviews of police conduct, which operate independently of the civil claim.

Is This a Class Action?

No. The claim is between the family of Urban Seay and the City of Seattle. It does not create a compensation fund for other Seattle residents, and there is no public claim form. Someone who was not involved in the incident does not become eligible for money because they live in Seattle or have interacted with Seattle police.

Any compensation from a future settlement or verdict would go to Seay’s estate and eligible family members, not the public.

Who Are the Family’s Attorneys?

News coverage identifies the family’s attorneys as Mark Lindquist and Angus Lee, who handle civil-rights and wrongful-death cases. Reporting also links the same legal team to a prior settlement against the City of Tacoma in a police-negligence case. Past results do not predict the outcome of this claim.

For comparison, AllAboutLawyer has also covered another police-shooting damages case: Timothy Cook Family Sues City of Memphis and Memphis Police for $35 Million Over June 2025 Fatal Shooting. Both illustrate why a damages demand should not be confused with a court award or settlement.

Key Dates

Date	Event
March 19, 2025	Urban Seay is fatally shot outside the Southwest Precinct; SPD’s Force Investigation Team begins its investigation
August 11, 2026	King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office publishes its decline memorandum
September 30, 2026	$30 million administrative tort claim reported publicly
November 29, 2026*	60 calendar days after September 30, if that was the presentation date
Future	Family could file a civil lawsuit if the claim is not resolved

*Calendar calculation based on September 30, 2026. Confirm the actual date the claim was presented.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is the Urban Seay family seeking from Seattle?

The family is reportedly seeking $30,000,000 through an administrative tort claim. That is a damages demand, not an award or settlement.

Has the family filed a lawsuit in court?

As of October 1, 2026, no civil lawsuit or case number has been publicly reported. The matter is an administrative tort claim.

Did prosecutors charge the officer who shot Urban Seay?

No. The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office declined to file criminal charges after its independent review, concluding the use of deadly force was lawful and justifiable under the criminal standards applied.

Can the family still sue after prosecutors declined charges?

Yes. A criminal charging decision and a civil lawsuit are separate proceedings with different standards. The King County memorandum expressly states that it did not address a civil action.

What is Washington’s 60-day tort-claim rule?

RCW 4.96.020 generally prevents a qualifying tort action against a local government from being commenced until 60 calendar days after the claim is presented. It is a waiting period before suit, not a deadline for the city to respond.

What happens if Seattle denies or ignores the claim?

After the waiting period, the family could potentially file a civil lawsuit, subject to applicable deadlines and other legal requirements. The claims, defendants and court would need to be confirmed from the filing itself.

Can other people claim part of the $30 million?

No. This is not a class action or public settlement, and there is no claim form for the public.

Is the $30 million likely to be paid?

Not necessarily. The figure is the family’s demand. Any settlement or verdict could be far higher or lower, and the allegations remain unproven.

Bottom Line

The family of Urban Andrew Seay has reportedly filed a $30 million administrative tort claim against the City of Seattle over his fatal shooting at the Southwest Precinct on March 19, 2025. The claim alleges wrongful death, negligence, excessive force and failures in responding to his mental-health crisis.

King County prosecutors reviewed the shooting independently and declined to charge the officer, finding the use of force lawful and justifiable under the criminal standards applied. That decision does not resolve the separate civil dispute.

For now, there is no court case number, no settlement, no judgment and no public claim form. The next development to watch is either a resolution with Seattle or a civil lawsuit after the 60-day waiting period, expected to end around late November 2026.

Informational notice: This article is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. The allegations described in the reported tort claim have not been established as facts by a court.

Sources & References

1. King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, Use of Force Review regarding Urban Seay, published August 11, 2026: https://cdn.kingcounty.gov/-/media/king-county/depts/pao/documents/public-integrity/use-of-force-fatalities/2025/seay-urban-website-memo-redacted.pdf
2. Seattle Police Department, Seattle Police Department Investigating After an Officer Shot a Person, March 19, 2025 (updated April 2, 2025): https://spdblotter.seattle.gov/2025/03/19/seattle-police-department-investigating-after-an-officer-shot-a-person/
3. King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, 2025 Public Integrity Incidents: https://kingcounty.gov/en/dept/pao/about-king-county/about-pao/data-reports/public-integrity/2025
4. King County Medical Examiner, Decedents List (Urban Andrew Seay, age 36, March 19, 2025).
5. Washington Revised Code, RCW 4.96.010 and RCW 4.96.020: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=4.96.020
6. KING 5, “Family files $30 million claim against Seattle over fatal police shooting,” September 30, 2026.
7. Westside Seattle, “Family files $30 Million tort claim against Seattle following fatal Southwest Precinct police shooting,” September 30, 2026.
8. West Seattle Blog, “$30 million claim filed by family of man shot and killed by police outside Southwest Precinct,” September 30, 2026.
9. FOX 13 Seattle, “Family files $30M tort claim,” September 30, 2026: https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/family-30m-tort-claim-fatal-seattle-police-shooting

By Israr Ahmad, Legal Content Researcher Last Updated: October 1, 2026