City of Sedro Woolley Settles Officer-Involved Shooting for $2 Million

In 2022, David Babcock was fatally shot by a Sedro-Woolley police officer following a 20-mile pursuit through Skagit County. Officers had initially attempted to stop Babcock after identifying the vehicle he was driving as having a stolen license plate. Near Sedro-Woolley, officers deployed spike strips as Babcock approached. As he swerved to avoid them, Officer Maxwell Rosser fired nine shots toward Babcock’s vehicle. One of the bullets struck Babcock in the back of the head, killing him.

An investigation by multiple law enforcement agencies concluded that the shooting was justified, and the Skagit County Prosecuting Attorney declined to file criminal charges against Officer Rosser. But for Babcock’s family, the investigation did not answer all of their questions about what happened that day or whether his death could have been prevented.

Melanie Nguyen on behalf of the family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the City of Sedro-Woolley. The lawsuit examined the circumstances leading up to the shooting, including the decisions made during the pursuit and the policies, training, and supervision governing the officers involved.

During the litigation, the family pursued the evidence necessary to understand how the encounter unfolded and whether the government's conduct contributed to Babcock’s death.

In 2025, the City of Sedro-Woolley agreed to pay $2 million to resolve the family’s claims. For David’s family, the settlement could not bring him back. But it gave the family the opportunity to pursue answers through the civil justice system and to seek accountability.

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