A man accused of orchestrating an ambush on two police officers by luring them with a fake 911 call has been formally charged. Documents acquired by Fox News Digital offer fresh insights into this violent incident.
The shooting involving officers unfolded in downtown Bellevue, Washington, at approximately 12:25 p.m. on Friday, specifically at the Bellevue Transit Center. Bellevue is a city situated just to the east of Seattle.
The suspect, identified as 38-year-old Mohamed Morray Bangura, initially engaged in a calm conversation with the officers. He pretended to direct their attention to a fictitious argument he had mentioned in his 911 call, as outlined in the charging documents.
Images show police tape cordoning off the Bellevue Transit Center following the incident where an officer was stabbed. Prosecutors have released evidence photos of the knife believed to have been used in the attack. (FOX 13/KCPQ; King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office)
The situation escalated when Bangura allegedly unzipped his jacket pocket, drew a kitchen knife, and attempted to stab one officer in an ice-pick fashion.
After the officer evaded the initial attack, Bangura is accused of turning his attention to another officer, slashing his face, and subsequently stabbing him twice more as he collapsed, according to the charging documents.
The police officer suffered a six-inch facial laceration, a dislocated shoulder and a broken clavicle, the documents state.
The uninjured officer then fired six shots, striking Bangura three times in the arm, leg and hip before the officers were able to pull back, according to the documents.
Prosecutors have charged Bangura with assault in the first degree with a deadly-weapon enhancement and assault in the second degree with a deadly-weapon enhancement.
Charging documents list a Seattle address for Bangura. However, a prior police contact in September reported that he was found sleeping on the property of the First Congregational Church, located near the Bellevue Transit Center.
The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office said the defendant “had animus towards an unrelated officer at Bellevue PD” after filing a complaint the day before the attack.
Investigators work outside the Bellevue Transit Center after police say a suspect stabbed an officer and was then shot by authorities. (FOX 13/KCPQ)
Bangura had allegedly threatened a security guard after being asked to leave church property near the transit center and a police officer responded and filed a report indicating that Bangura had threatened the security officer. The officer told Bangura he would be referring harassment charges.
Prosecutors released this evidence photo of the knife allegedly used in the stabbing of a Bellevue police officer during Friday’s attack. (King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office)
Instead of letting that process play out, prosecutors said, Bangura “armed himself with a knife and assaulted two other innocent, unwitting officers who thought they were responding to a call of domestic violence,” the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office said.
Seconds before attempting to stab both officers, Bangura allegedly said, “Officer [X] put a false case on me,” prosecutors said.
A Bellevue police officer secures crime scene tape near the transit center after an officer was stabbed during a reported ambush. (FOX 13/KCPQ)
Prosecutors said the first-degree assault charge covers the stabbing of the Bellevue officer. The second-degree charge applies to the partner officer, who was attacked but not physically stabbed.
The accompanying officer is still considered a victim of second-degree assault because, under Washington law, physical contact or bodily injury is not required for an assault charge, prosecutors said.
Bangura will be arraigned on Thursday, Dec. 18, police said.
