Video: Police kill armed man dressed in uniform

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SEATTLE - Calling it a tragedy, Seattle Police on Friday defended their fatal shooting of an armed University of Washington student.

The student, 22-year-old Miles Murphy, was dressed in a World War II uniform, and police say they were threatened by his rifle. Seattle Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske says officers had no choice but to shoot to kill.

Murphy was University of Washington honor student and musician. He was a history buff who often wore vintage uniforms and collected WWII memorabilia, including a vintage German infantry rifle.

Early on New Years Day, police were called to the University District where Murphy had been firing blanks into the air to celebrate.

"He was holding the rifle in both hands. He pointed the rifle in their direction,” said Seattle Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske Friday.

Police Murphy refused several orders to drop the weapon.

"We hear, ‘Sir put the gun down. Don’t reach for anything. Don’t move. Put the gun down.’ Really shouting loud, shouting quick,” said Mark Kedziora, Murphy’s housemate.

"He raised the rifle and pointed it at them, and then briefly lowered it. He raised it again," said Kerlikowske.

Two officers shot Murphy several times and he died at a hospital.

MySpace.com

A photo of Miles Allen Murphy from his MySpace page, wearing a World War II-era German uniform.

Officers searched the house and found a large collection of German military regalia and a lot of alcohol.

Police also say the rifle Murphy was holding was the same one they seized from him in 2006. They will not say why it was seized back then. It had been returned to Murphy's father.

Murphy's mother says her son has been very badly misrepresented. She says he was a brilliant student and musician. He was on the Dean’s List and had a fascination with history.

The UW senior worked at Red Mill Burgers. Co-workers are shocked and saddened.

“He was sweet and funny,” said a tearful Mallory Lopriore.

"Just a unique person and he was well-loved here and everyone’s just in shock that this could happen to him," said Murphy's boss, Jeanine Shepherd.

Friends say he often wore war-era clothing.

“It was his style and it was something he wore regularly. It wasn’t something he was wearing to be threatening or intimidating. He wore it just because he liked it,” said Lopriore.

On his MySpace page, Murphy had joked that he lived in a 1920s room and only entered "the 21st century when absolutely necessary.”

Friends also believe the situation Thursday morning could have been handled much differently.

"He was shot several times and I don’t see why … why so many times? Why not use a taser or why not a non-fatal area," said Lopriore.

"I know they were drinking and it’s New Year’s Eve and I think it could have been handled differently," said Shepherd.

Kerlikowske offered this.

“When you're facing a firearm and your adrenaline is going, your ability to shoot to wound or to shoot the gun out of their hand is purely myth. There isn’t another option available," said Kerlikowske.

The two officers who fired at Murphy were placed on paid administrative leave, which is standard procedure.

UW President Mark Emmert released this statement Friday afternoon:

"The University is deeply saddened by the tragic death of Miles Murphy, a senior Germanics major. We mourn the loss of a member of the UW community and extend our condolences to his family and friends. The University will provide whatever information it can to assist with the Seattle Police Department investigation of this incident."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.