End of Watch: 12/18/1984
Agency: Seattle Police Department
County: King County
On Tuesday, December 18, 1984 at about 0625 hours, Officer Nick Davis of the Seattle Police Department was headed to the International House of Pancakes at 950 East Madison Street for break.
Upon arriving, he noticed a waiter was chasing a man from the restaurant. The waiter told Officer Davis that the man running had skipped out on paying his $4.55 bill. The waiter and Officer Davis got into his patrol car and drove towards Michael Robert Trott who was now walking east along East Madison Street. Officer Davis caught up to Trott in the 1000 block of East Madison, in the parking lot of the West and Wheeler Real Estate office. Trott began to walk in the other direction from Officer Davis, so he backed his patrol car up and radioed for a fast backup.
Suddenly, Trott attacked Officer Davis, who was beginning to get out of the patrol car. Trott pulled Officer Davis from the patrol car and the radio microphone was ripped from the car as well. They began to fight and Officer Davis’s pistol came into Trott’s control. Trott shot Officer Davis in the chest and in the back. A third shot missed. Officer Davis wasn’t wearing his vest. At the time, Seattle Police policy only strongly encouraged wearing a vest; it was not required.
Backup officers arrived and Trott fled the scene on foot, north towards the Alano Club located at 1400 11th Avenue. Once inside and still armed with the gun, Trott tried to get directions to the men’s restroom. He ran into the women’s restroom, walked out once and then walked back inside the restroom while still armed. He emerged a second time without the gun and was taken into custody by Seattle Police.
Officer Davis was transported to Harborview Medical Center where he died at about 0655 hours.
Trott was convicted of murdering Officer Davis and sentenced to 27 years. He was later committed to a mental health institution. In 2011, however, he was released due to budget problems.
Officer Davis served with the Seattle Police Department for five years. He is survived by his wife and three sons.