Information from King County Sheriff

The Sheriff’s Office is sad to see the death of any resident, including the case today in Burien. The investigation into the cause of death is being determined by the King County Medical Examiner’s office.  

While there is disagreement between the City of Burien and the Sheriff’s Office regarding a recently adopted emergency public camping ordinance, KCSO is actively enforcing all other laws within the City of Burien.  For example, the Burien Police Department has made 303 criminal arrests and 81 drug arrests in Burien so far in 2024.  KCSO has and will continue to work constructively with the City on law enforcement and public safety. 

In reference to the recently adopted public camping ordinance, it is important to note that unlike the previous ordinance, the newly adopted ordinance jeopardizes constitutional rights and poses questions that need to be answered by the courts.

Following up on Monday’s announcement on the court case, our legal team filed a motion for a preliminary injunction today in US District Court. The motion highlights substantial constitutional problems with Burien’s anti-camping ordinance, including violations of the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution.    A ruling on the Sheriff’s motion for preliminary injunction that determines the constitutionality of Burien’s ordinance is expected any time after April 5, 2024. The constitutionality of the Burien ordinance will be resolved, but the Sheriff’s directive will remain in place until the matter is resolved by the court.

Documents:Motion for Preliminary Injunction