Police: Suspect dead, had slain cop's gun

Savannah Brandenburg
post #9

The suspect in Sunday's fatal shooting of four police officers was shot and killed early Tuesday by an officer after the suspect approached him and "reached into his waist area," authorities said in a statement. Although the medical examiner has not formally identified the man shot and killed in south Seattle about 2:45 a.m., detectives recognized him as Maurice Clemmons, sought in the killings of four Lakewood, Washington, police officers shot Sunday at a coffee shop, Seattle police said in the written statement.Pierce County Sheriff's Department spokesman Ed Troyer said earlier Tuesday that Clemmons was carrying a weapon taken from one of the slain officers and had been shot in the abdoment in Sunday's shooting at the Forza Coffee Company in Parkland, Washington. He had had stuffed gauze and cotton into the wound and put duct tape over it, Troyer said Tuesday. Clemmons had been the subject of an intense manhunt for two days.Two people accused of helping Clemmons evade authorities, brothers Eddie and Douglas Davis, appeared in court Tuesday. Both are charged with rendering criminal assistance, a felony. A man who police believe is the getaway car driver was also in custody, along with a second man. Neither has been charged. The men accused of trying to help Clemmons provided medical aid, housing, a cell phone and money and were trying to get him out of the state, Troyer said earlier Tuesday. They also called in false leads to police to divert investigators. Early Tuesday, a patrol officer saw an unoccupied car in south Seattle that was running and had its hood up, police said. He determined the car was stolen and was doing paperwork in his vehicle when he saw a man approach his patrol car from behind on the driver's side, the statement said. The officer is a four-year member of the Seattle police force and is a military veteran, police said. He will be placed on administrative leave, which is standard procedure after a shooting involving an officer.Authorities said they regretted the shooting death but are glad the two-day ordeal is over."Right now, it's just a feeling of relief," said Jim Pugil, the assistant Seattle police chief. "Another tragic time has come upon us, and we're just happy that it's over.""I am thankful the suspect in this horrible crime is no longer a threat to our community," Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire said in a statement. "I hope this provides some closure for the families and colleagues of our fallen officers. ... We should now focus our attention on providing comfort and support to those who have lost a loved one."
Clemmons had made comments before Sunday's shootings that he was going to kill some officers -- comments that were not reported to authorities until after the shootings -- but officials believe he was the lone gunman.Clemmons was an ex-convict with a long rap sheet in Washington and Arkansas, according to authorities and documents.Clemmons was accused of child rape and assaulting a police officer in May. He had been released on $150,000 bail five days before the shootings, according to court records.After his arrest, Clemmons' sister told police that he "had not been himself lately" and that his behavior was "unpredictable and erratic."He had said that the Secret Service was coming to get him because he had written a letter to the president," an affidavit quoted her as telling investigators.In addition, neighbors had complained that he had been throwing rocks through their windows. Clemmons' wife told deputies that she and her husband had argued over a "newly discovered child," and she suggested that was why he went on his rock-throwing spree, according to an arrest affidavit.In 2000, then-Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee commuted a prison sentence for Clemmons, according to documents from the Arkansas Department of Community Correction. Clemmons was sentenced to 95 years, to be served consecutive to time he was already serving from previous convictions, according to the documents. In all, he faced a total of 108 years, Arkansas officials said. He returned to prison in 2001 and was paroled in 2004.Sunday's shooting was the first for the Lakewood Police Department, which was created five years ago for the town of nearly 60,000. Police said the gunman walked past the officers to the counter as if to order but then pulled a gun out of his coat and began shooting at 8:15 a.m. Two of the officers were "executed" as they sat at a table, Troyer said.
This show social control by just the manhunt in itself. This manhunt was defiantly necessary especailly due to fact this man has killed four police officers. To me Clemmons should have served his 95 years in prison instead of getting only 3 years. That is unbelieveable. If Clemmons had been in jail at this time, this would obviously not happen. I think the police officer took the right action especially know that this guy is dangerous and has already killed four other officers.