Seattle police Chief John Diaz said there are more questions than answers in the case of a man who was fatally shot by an officer in downtown Seattle Monday.

Police say John Trouble Williams, 50, was shot after he came toward an officer with a knife. The incident occurred on Monday at about 4:15 p.m. at Boren and Howell streets in downtown Seattle.

At a news conference Tuesday afternoon, investigators said detectives have conflicting reports as to whether the man lunged at the officer.

"The man did turn toward the officer as far as whether the man lunged we're still in the process of trying to get that information clarified we're in the process of interviewing all the witnesses in the area as well as the officer," said Deputy Chief Nick Metz.

Diaz said the man was recorded by a police cruiser dash camera crossing the street when the officer first encountered him. The video does not show the actual confrontation but Diaz said there is audio of the officer asking the man to drop his knife three times.

Police say Williams had been whittling something before the incident. He had a knife with a 3-inch blade, which police showed during the news conference.

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Investigators say the officer did not call for backup before the shooting but did tell investigators he felt his safety was in jeopardy so he shot the man 4 times.

Seattle police told KIRO 7 the officer was on patrol and had stopped to ask Williams what he was doing. The man suddenly stood up and walked toward the officer, said police, and ignored several loud commands to stop and drop the knife.

Neighbors who know Williams say he lived in low income housing not far from where the shooting happened.

"He's out here, He's friendly with everybody. You know he drinks a little bit here and there like I do, but the thing is they didn't have to go like that," said friend Cecil West.

"He was harmless, he was harmless. He wouldn't hurt nobody," said neighbor Daniel Davies, who said Williams was often seen carving totems and walking sticks. "All he uses a knife for is carving. He doesn't use a knife for anything but carving," said Davies.

KIRO 7 did a records check on Williams and found a criminal history dating back to 1993. It included charges of theft, criminal trespass and indecent exposure.

Seattle Police identified the officer as Ian Birk, who has been with the department for 2 years. He is now on administrative leave.

Chief Diaz promised a thorough and complete investigation into the shooting.

"My pledge to our citizens is that we will conduct a transparent investigation into this incident. I have to tell you at this point I have a lot more questions than answers for you," said Chief Diaz.

Previous Stories: August 31, 2010: Whittling Man Fatally Shot By Seattle Police