Majority inquest jurors find officer’s actions not criminal in 2020 Renton fatal shooting

Published 7:30 am Saturday, March 7, 2026

The majority of a group of inquest jurors found that an officer’s actions in a Renton officer-involved fatal shooting in 2020 were not criminal.

King County held an inquest from March 2 to March 4 into the death of 22-year-old River Hudson, who was fatally shot by a Renton Police Department officer when they responded at about 11:05 p.m. May 6, 2020, to 1150 Sunset Boulevard NE, Renton.

This incident occurred after officers responded to Hudson’s mother’s apartment because she reported that he attacked her, and when officers encountered Hudson, he ran at officers with a knife while naked before he was shot.

At the inquest, various witnesses were called to testify, such as responding officers, Hudson’s mother, neighbors, a medic, and investigators, including a medical examiner.

On March 3, jurors returned their interrogatory questions. When asked if the officer who fatally shot Hudson did so by criminal means, five jurors answered “No,” while one juror answered “Yes.” Regarding whether the knife Hudson was holding was pointed toward officers, three jurors answered “Yes,” one answered “No,” and two answered “Unknown.” Whether Hudson stopped or moved toward officers after being told to stop, one answered “Yes,” while five answered “No.”

What is an inquest?

After a death occurs in the course of law enforcement or corrections duties, the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office receives materials from the law enforcement or corrections agency investigating the incident. According to the county, the prosecutor’s office will then make a recommendation to the King County Executive about whether an inquest should be held.

According to the county, the purpose of an inquest is to shed light, in an open public forum, on the facts surrounding a death at the hands of law enforcement or corrections. Counsel for the family of the deceased, counsel for law enforcement or corrections officers, witnesses, subject matter experts, or others with knowledge of the incident will be summoned to provide testimony.

At the conclusion of the inquest, a jury of up to eight people answers a variety of interrogatory questions. According to the county, the jury renders verdicts, including whether law enforcement or corrections officers complied with training and policy. The information gathered will ultimately be sent to the county executive and the prosecutor’s office, and all of the information will then be made available through the Inquest Program website.

Details of the incident

According to a Washington State Auditor report of Hudson’s death investigation, published on July 25, 2024, at about 11:05 p.m., a 911 caller reported that her son, River Hudson, had assaulted her and her boyfriend. Three officers responded to the caller’s Renton apartment and went up three floors to the caller’s apartment, which had its door open. An officer pushed the door open further, announced police presence and asked Hudson to come out from where he was.

Officers then heard rapid footsteps before Hudson appeared naked and rushed toward them with a knife in his hands. An officer yelled “stop” before shooting Hudson twice in the chest. Hudson then fell forward and landed about a foot away from the front door.

Following the shooting, Hudson still had the knife in his hand, and officers told him to drop the knife so they could provide medical aid. The report states that after a few minutes, additional officers arrived, removed the knife from Hudson’s hand, handcuffed him and then provided aid.

According to the report, after firefighters arrived, they moved him to provide aid, and then he was brought downstairs to the parking lot at the paramedics’ request so additional care could be provided. When Hudson was brought downstairs, he was pronounced dead, and then officers asked to move his body back outside the apartment where he was shot.

The report states that investigators from the Valley Independent Investigative Team, including officers from Auburn, Kent, Tukwila, Port of Seattle, Federal Way and Des Moines police departments, then assisted in the investigation. On Dec. 9, 2020, a prosecutor reviewing the investigation wrote in a memo that he would not file charges against the officer who shot Hudson.