On Wednesday, April 17, 2024, retired US Navy doctor Bruce Coval Meneley was shot and killed by Seattle Police during a sting operation conducted by the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
The 67-year-old suspect was fatally shot at the DoubleTree hotel in Tukwila, Washington.
Seattle Police released graphic body camera footage of the incident, showing Meneley allegedly pulling out a gun from his jacket when approached by officers.
In response, officers fired approximately 30 shots at Meneley, resulting in his death from multiple gunshot wounds.
Meneley, a Navy captain who had served at Guantanamo Bay and as the commander of the NATO Role 3 multinational medical unit in Afghanistan, retired from his military service in 2012.
He was under investigation by the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force for alleged sex crimes involving minors.
According to reports, Meneley thought he was meeting with two young girls aged 7 and 11.
He had previously been arrested during a human trafficking/prostitution sting in Bremerton in 2017 and charged with sex crimes. During an interview with detectives, he admitted to a similar offense in Texas years prior.
The officers involved in the shooting have been placed on paid administrative leave, and an investigation into the incident is ongoing.
The Tukwila Police Department is looking into the assault on the officers, while the Seattle Police Force Investigation Team is reviewing the circumstances of Meneley’s death.
The tragic incident highlights the dangers of online child exploitation and the tireless efforts of law enforcement agencies to protect vulnerable individuals from predators like Meneley.
