Seattle police say a patrol officer checking out an unoccupied stolen vehicle was approached from behind by Maurice Clemmons about 2:45 a.m. today.
The vehicle had been reported stolen earlier in the night. It was running but unoccupied.
The officer, a seven-year veteran, called in his location and the plate number, officials said this morning. As the officer investigated, he felt a presence behind him.
The officer had told investigators he recognized the approaching person as Clemmons from the law enforcement bulletins, police officials said during a press conference at the scene.
The man was ordered to stop and show his hands. The man did not. He started to move around the stolen vehicle. He again was ordered to stop and, when he did not, the Seattle officer fired several shots.
Clemmons died of his injuries.
“This is the person we have been looking for,” Seattle police official Jeff Pugel aid. “Right now, it’s just a feeling of relief.”
Seattle police said they recovered a handgun from Clemmons. The handgun’s serial number matched that of the weapon taken from one of the officers killed Sunday, Pierce County sheriff’s spokesman Ed Troyer said.
Lakewood Police Chief Bret Farrar, who was at the Seattle scene, thanked all the brothers and sisters in law enforcement for all their work.
“I had all the confidence in the world in the Sheriff’s Department,” said Farrar, who worked for the Sheriff’s Department before joining Lakewood Police as a lieutenant when the agency formed. “We can close the page on this.”
The families of the slain officers have been notified.
Overnight three people were arrested on suspicion of rendering criminal assistance to Clemmons and booked into jail.
In addition, deputies have arrested a man suspected of driving Clemmons away from the shooting scene, sheriff’s spokesman Ed Troyer said. He was just taken into custody and is being interviewed by investigators.
Troyer said he didn’t know if the driver knew what was going on or if Clemmons told the driver what he was going to do at the coffee shop.
Up to six arrests could be made by the end of the day, Troyer said.
“The suspect here has the gunshot wound and it is an old gunshot wound,” Troyer said. It appeared Clemmons tried to get some medical aid for the wound, which was inflicted by one of the slain Lakewood officers.
The friends and families of Clemmons who’ve been arrested are suspected of trying to get Clemmons’ medical aid and shelter. They gave Clemmons money, food and cellphones, Troyer said.
Troyer said Clemmons’ motive for Sunday’s shooting was unknown. They know he was angry about being incarcerated and told friends to watch the news because he was going to kill officers. They have no indication Clemmons knew the officers’ he killed.
Troyer said Clemmons’ wound that he suffered Sunday was serious.
“He was shot dead center,” Troyer said, pointing to his torso. “He managed to continue running.”
The Seattle officer involved in the shooting early today was being interviewed by Seattle homicide detectives.
The scumbags who provided aid to Clemmons are no better than he was.
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Great job Seattle PD! The citizens have been spared the burden of their tax dollars being spent to keep this scumbag in jail, along with cost of a trial.
My prayers go out to the families of the officer’s killed Sunday.
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Ditto. Prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law – and NO BAIL!!
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Reading that the officer felt someone coming up behind him gives me chills. He could have been another victim and should never have been riding alone! Thank God this monster is dead. And looks like his friends will pay a high price too. Not only aiding, but for havinh advance knowledge.
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Now that’s good police work! and for the rest of us.
Lessons learned.
Never, ever, let your guard down.
When you sit, dont pin yourself in.
Always have an escape route.
If your a cop, attend officer survival training outside your department, it is not politically correct but it will keep you alive.
Remember, 99% of the citizens are law abiding tax paying, friends of the police. 1% are a threat and can be dangerous. Act accordingly.
If your wanted by the Police for a violent crime, turn yourself in and/or do as told or you will be shot. Cops dont have to “wait” if they are reasonably in fear of their life.
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Amen, Amen, Amen. This should have been done in Arkansas or where ever he was supposed to spend 98 years behind bars. Talk about a waste of taxpayer money and time. It could have saved the lives of these four people if that idiot hadn’t pardoned him. I still can’t phathom what would have prompted Huckaby to release a guy like this. He had to have had other people in the prison system who were more worthy of parole than this animal. Well, $2.50 worth of lead is what he deserved. I would hope this would be a wake up call to the governors in all states that consider a pardon for someone as vicious as this man was. As for those who were helping this guy….you may consider youselves to be part of some great revolutionary movement to change our society, but we will not surrender to you. I hope you rot in the hell you have created for yourselves.
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No one has mentioned the judge that allowed him out of jail SEVEN days prior. He punched a deputy!
For $15k, he was allowed to kill 4 officers. And his friends knew in advance. And in the past he had resisted arrest using violence towards police officers. ANYONE who has hit, threatened, resisted a police officer should not be allowed out. PERIOD! That demonstrates a clear lack of respect for authority, no fear of consequences and apparently someone who has nothing to lose. They are too dangerous and deadly.
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