The now-deceased suspect, who identified as transgender, opened fire on the deputy as he served an eviction notice in Seattle.
The Sheriff’s department said three deputies were serving the notice when they encountered the resident being evicted. A shootout ensued.
The three deputies were identified as Detectives Benjamin Wheeler, Benjamin Miller, and David Easterly.
Easterly, who was shot in the upper torso above his bulletproof vest, is reportedly in stable but critical condition at Harborview Medical Center’s ICU.
The Suspect’s Troubling Affiliations
King County’s investigation team identified the suspect as 29-year-old Eucytus Eucytus, formerly Nathan Stolsig, a transgender woman.
The medical examiner determined Eucytus died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Eucytus was a member of the Democratic Socialists of America who called on then-Seattle mayor Jenny Durkan to resign during the 2020 BLM-Antifa riots in the city.
A 2017 post from Eucytus’s account broke down the “no justice no peace” chant frequently heard at Antifa demonstrations.
“No justice no peace is a direction action and radical leftist chant,” “Eucytus” wrote. “Direct action is the practice and theory that social and political change can only be achieved by intentional and meaningful action which opposes the system or individuals which are responsible.”
“It’s generally non-violent, that is to say disrupting peace does not necessitate violence, but there are exceptions,” Eucytus went on to say. “…An example of violent direct action would be Antifa International, who advocate for the use of violence against white supremacists.”
Democratic Socialists of America issued a statement about their member’s death.
“Although we do not know the exact circumstances of Eucy’s death, it is indisputable that the inherently violent and traumatic process of deputies forcibly evicting a person from their home was a key factor. We deeply regret that this eviction ended with gunfire, injury, and death, regardless of who initiated it. DSA supports peaceful, mass resistance against evictions.”
“Unfortunately, this tragic outcome underscores the violent character of our capitalist housing system, which prioritizes the profits of landlords over the human right to housing.”
