Deceased Seattle gunman who shot sheriff’s deputy identified as trans DSA leader

According to law enforcement, three deputies were serving the notice, but when they encountered the resident being evicted, there was a shootout. The three deputies opened fire and one deputy was shot in the upper torso above his bulletproof vest.

The three deputies have been identified as Detectives Benjamin Wheeler, Benjamin Miller, and David Easterly. Easterly, the deputy that was shot, remains in critical condition but is stable at Harborview Medical Center's ICU.

On Tuesday, The Independent Force Investigation Team - King County identified the resident being evicted who was involved in the shooting as 29-year-old Eucytus Eucytus, formerly Nathan Stolsig, a transgender woman. The King County Medical Examiner confirmed that Stolsig died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Stolsig was a member of the Democratic Socialists of America who signed a letter during the 2020 BLM-Antifa riots that rocked Seattle calling for then-mayor Jenny Durkan to resign because she didn't support the riots enough.

Stolsig appeared to share the same ideology as Antifa and in a post on Stolsig's deactivated Tumblr painted over a "captured flag bearing fascist symbolism" (Gadsden flag) with the red and black symbols of anarchist-communism, the political ideology of Antifa.

A 2017 Quora post showed "Eucytus" explaining what "no justice no peace" means, a popular chant at Antifa riots.

"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. A good example of a peaceful direct action group would be Food Not Bombs, who serve food to the homeless. An example of violent direct action would be Antifa International, who advocate for the use of violence against neo-nazis and white supremacists," "Eucytus" added.

"It's important to note that the advocacy of violence itself is protected under the first amendment rights in the united states," the post noted, citing the 1969 case of Bradenburg v Ohio.

DSA released a statement mourning the loss of their violent member and condemned the misgendering of Stolsig.

"Seattle members of Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) were deeply saddened and angered to learn of the death of Eucy, a DSA member, following an apparent exchange of gunfire during an attempt by King County Sheriff’s deputies to evict Eucy from her Ballard apartment. The King County Medical Examiner is ruling Eucy’s death a suicide. Seattle DSA is urging the media and law enforcement to stop mis-gendering Eucy, who identified as trans, and to stop calling her by her dead name."

"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.

The statement continued, “We will remember and honor the life of Eucy and all those who have been killed by this unjust system by redoubling our commitment to building a socialist future where housing is a human right and where poverty, inequality, racism, sexism, and transphobia are relics of the past."

A member of a "mutual aid organization," told a far-left outlet that over the weekend he had delivered groceries to "Eucy." He added that facing eviction, the DSA activist had used two-by-fours and metal barriers to block the door to the unit in order to prevent being forced from the apartment.

On Monday morning, Deputies Easterly, Wheeler, and Miller were called to a home near 8th Avenue Northwest and Northwest 54th Street around 9:30 am to serve an eviction notice.

According to law enforcement, after speaking with "Eucytus" there was gunfire and Easterly was shot in the exchange then the suspect barricaded themself in the apartment.

Though investigators have not determined who shot first, there is evidence all three detectives returned fire.

Easterly has been with the sheriff's office for 25 years, Miller for 23, and Wheeler for 26 years.

All three detectives were wearing ballistic vests, but the bullet reportedly missed Easterly's vest and hit him in the upper torso, according to investigators. One resident’s car was also damaged during the firefight.

After Easterly was taken to the hospital, authorities were eventually able to enter the unit and found the suspect dead.

The investigation into the shooting is ongoing and all three detectives are being placed on administrative leave, as per sheriff's office protocol.