A 62-year-old man with a lengthy history of violent crimes is accused of attempting to kill Seattle police officers during a shootout Thursday night in Ballard.
Prosecutors filed charges of first-degree assault and second-degree assault against Christopher Michael Bowman on Friday. According to charging documents, an 18-year-old woman called police at 5:07 p.m. to report that Bowman, her ex-husband, was following her and usually carries a pistol. The woman waited inside the QFC store on 24th Ave Northwest for officers to arrive.
Police ran Bowman’s name through a database and found an active warrant for rape and other violent crimes in Kansas. Officers spotted him walking on Northwest 62nd Street near 28th Ave Northwest around 5:45 p.m.
Body-worn camera footage shows an officer exited his cruiser and ordered Bowman to show his hands. Bowman immediately drew a gun and fired at the officer, according to police. Three officers returned fire, striking Bowman multiple times. Body camera videos from all three officers show Bowman firing his weapon. A female officer was struck in the knee by shrapnel from one of Bowman’s shots.
Court records show Bowman’s violent criminal history dates back to the 1990s. In Kansas, he was convicted of rape, aggravated robbery, aggravated kidnapping, criminal possession of a firearm, and trafficking contraband in a correctional institution. He also has convictions for first-degree robbery in Missouri. At the time of the shooting, Bowman had an extraditable warrant from Kansas related to his prior convictions.
Bowman remains at Harborview Medical Center. Prosecutors requested $3 million bail if he is released from the hospital.
