Friends say John Williams, 50, was partly deaf and might not have heard a Seattle police order to drop his carving knife. Native leaders are calling for an independent probe into the police shooting death in Seattle of a B.C. First Nations carving artist.

John Williams was killed Monday after he failed to comply with a police order to put down his carving knife, police said.

A prominent B.C. First Nations chief said he does not accept the police version of the incident.

"I'm deeply angered and outraged to hear once again the police shooting down one of our people in a clearly unprovoked situation," said Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, president of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs.

Williams, 50, had been living in Seattle for 18 years, working as a carver in the Pike Place Market in the city's downtown tourist district.

He died when a police officer shot him four times in the chest.

Squad car recordings

Audio recordings from the squad car indicate Williams failed to comply with repeated orders to put down his knife, Seattle police said.

Seattle detectives cover the body of John Williams as they investigate his shooting Monday. (CBC)But a local art dealer said Williams was deaf in one ear and likely did not hear the officer before he opened fire.

"Here we go again, cops shooting first, asking questions later," said Tim Strang, who operates Hills Native Art in Vancouver.

Strang said Williams was one of the most talented members of a big family of carvers. The artist was a member of the Ditidaht First Nation on the west coast of Vancouver Island, near Tofino.