Next Vigil: Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Lakewood YMCA, 9715 Lakewood Drive S.W.
Public Memorial: Tuesday, December 8 at 1 p.m. in the Tacoma Dome.
Fund: A benevolent account has been established for the families of the officers. Donations may be sent to LPIG Benevolent Fund at PO Box 99579, Lakewood, WA 98499 - DONATE ONLINE HERE
Condolences:
Mountain View Condolence Website
In memory of the Lakewood Officers Facebook Group -162,883 members
In memory of the four fallen Lakewood Police officers - 15,498 member
Lakewood Police Department Contact Page
This is my own area and we are mourning for these officers, their families, and our community. I will add updates at the bottom of this post. The common feeling among everyone it seems is that there are
NO WORDS
that can express the loss, the level of tragedy, what this means for the future of how police will operate, or to express what people are feeling.
Previous post:
SEATTLE HAS STOPPED FOR OFFICER TIMOTHY BRENTON - Hundreds of police and fire department vehicles have started a procession to KeyArena for the memorial service of slain Seattle police Officer Timothy Brenton...
FOUR LAKEWOOD POLICE OFFICERS SHOT AND KILLED IN 'AMBUSH'
by KING5.com and Associated Press
Posted on November 29, 2009 at 9:41 AM
Updated today at 12:58 PM
[EXCERPTS] PARKLAND, WASH. - FOUR LAKEWOOD POLICE OFFICERS WERE SHOT AND KILLED SUNDAY MORNING IN WHAT AUTHORITIES CALLED A TARGETED AMBUSH AT A COFFEE SHOP. Pierce County Sheriff's spokesman Ed Troyer says the officers - four male and one female - were in full uniform and wearing bulletproof vests, sitting in Forza coffee shop near 116th Street and Steele Street on the east side of the Air Force base at about 8:30 a.m. Troyer says the officers were preparing for their shift when a suspect or suspects "walked in with a handgun, opened fire multiple times and then fled the scene," said Troyer. Troyer called it an "ambush... This was more of an execution. Walk in with the specific mindset to shoot police officers," Troyer said. Police are searching for a male suspect and interviewing witnesses... "We hopefully will have answers, but there is nothing more we can tell you," Troyer said. "That's as cold-hearted as it is." PIERCE COUNTY SHERIFF PAUL PASTOR SAID "this is an example of the danger that police officers and deputy sheriffs and state troopers face every day. The person or people who did this not only harmed us they harmed the good that we can do in the community. They harmed the good that we work to do every day in the community. This is an example of the cost that is sometimes paid by people who believe in duty and obligation and sacrifice and people who do that on behalf of the community. We've lost people that we care about, we've lost people I'm sure the good people in the community care about as well," said Pastor. WASHINGTON GOV. CHRIS GREGOIRE ISSUED THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT ABOUT THE HOMICIDES: "I am shocked and horrified at the murder of four police officers this morning in Pierce County. Our police put their lives on the line every day, and tragedies like this remind us of the risks they continually take to keep our communities safe. My heart goes out to the family, friends and co-workers of these officers, as well as the entire law enforcement community. I offer whatever support is needed to the Pierce County Sheriff in their search for the perpetrator of this terrible crime." Troyer said there were several active scenes that officers are working. A white pick-up truck was impounded from a parking lot at one scene and a person was taken into custody at another... Troyer said the suspect is a black male, 5-foot-7 to 6 feet tall, 20s to 30s, scruffy appearance, wearing a black coat with a gray sweatshirt underneath, and blue jeans... PRAYER VIGIL - A prayer vigil for the officers and their families will be held tonight at 6 p.m. at Tacoma Champions Centre at 1819 E. 72nd St. in Tacoma. Directions to the Tacoma Campus. [Full article here]
Four police officers shot dead in Washington coffee house - Telegraph.co.uk
...The shooting comes just a month after the Halloween ambush of a Seattle police officer who was shot and killed while sitting in his car...
'HORROR SCENE' AS 4 LAKEWOOD POLICE OFFICERS SHOT, KILLED
By KOMO Staff
Story Published: Nov 29, 2009 at 8:53 AM PST
Story Updated: Nov 29, 2009 at 12:59 PM PST
[EXCERPTS] LAKEWOOD, Wash. - Four uniformed police officers were shot and killed in a bloody Sunday morning ambush at a Lakewood-area coffee shop, officials said. Pierce County Sheriff's Office spokesman Ed Troyer called the ambush "a targeted attack" on the four Lakewood police officers as they were preparing to start their shifts at about 8:15 a.m. Officials at the scene said a lone gunmen burst into the Forza Coffee Co. outlet at 11401 Steele St. South, shot the four uniformed officers as they were working on their laptop computers, then fled the scene. Two baristas and a handful of other customers were inside the coffee shop at the time of the attack, but none of them were shot or injured... Troyer described the scene inside the coffee shop as "carnage and a scene out of a horror movie." Three male officers and one female officer all died at the scene. About 2 1/2 hours after the deadly ambush, officers identified a white Chevy pickup truck abandoned at 134th Street and Pacific Avenue South that is believed to be the one that the suspect fled in. Soon after, there was a standoff reported between officers and one or more people inside a residence a few blocks away. It was not immediately known if the standoff is related to the police shootings, but it was still continuing as of 12:30 p.m. A $10,000 reward is being offered for any information leading to the arrest of the suspect or any possible accomplices, Troyer said. An emergency tip line has been set up, at 866-977-2362, for callers to report any helpful information... Within minutes of the first 911 call, hundreds of investigators and police were rushing to the scene. Roads were blocked in the vicinity of the attack... The coffee shop where the shootings took place is owned by Brad Carpenter, a retired police officer, KOMO News has confirmed. The incident is being investigated by the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department, with assistance from the Tacoma Police Department, Lakewood Police Department, the Pierce County Department of Emergency Management and the Washington State Patrol Crime Lab... [Full article here]
...Within minutes of the first 911 call, hundreds of investigators and police were rushing to the scene. Roads were blocked in the vicinity of the attack...
"...Our police put their lives on the line every day, and tragedies like this remind us of the risks they continually take to keep our communities safe..."
GUNMAN TARGETS, SHOOTS, KILLS FOUR POLICE OFFICERS IN SEATTLE SUBURB COFFEE SHOP
New York Daily News
By Helen Kennedy
Sunday, November 29th 2009, 4:07 PM
[EXCERPTS] Four cops were shot and killed in cold blood Sunday morning... The three men and one woman - a patrol team with the Lakewood Police Department in Lakewood, Wash. - were fully armed and wearing their uniforms and bulletproof vests as they prepared to go on shift. The cops were sitting at a table in the Forza Coffee shop with their laptops out doing paperwork when the shooter walked in and began firing at them with a pistol, authorities said... All four died instantly. The public information officer for the Lakewood Police Department broke down during an attempt to brief the press at the scene. Troyer said the reason for the chilling assassination is unknown. "We have no motive at all. I don't think when we do find out it will make sense," he said. Their police cruisers were parked out front, visible to anyone approaching. The coffee shop - part of a regional chain - is owned by retired police officer Brad Carpenter. The baristas and customers were so traumatized that it was hard to get them to calm down enough to describe what they saw, police said... The shooting comes just a month after the Halloween ambush of a Seattle police officer who was shot and killed while sitting in his car, allegedly by Christopher Monfort, a crazed former security guard who took courses in law enforcement. He allegedly also torched three police cruisers, rigged several bombs hoping to kill cops and left notes threatening all police officers. Monfort was shot in the head during his arrest Nov. 6 and remains in custody. He is due to be arraigned Tuesday. Troyer said there appeared to be no connection. [Full article here]
...About 2 1/2 hours after the deadly ambush, officers identified a white Chevy pickup truck... Soon after, there was a standoff reported between officers and one or more people inside a residence a few blocks away...
11/29/09 10:27PM UPDATE:
Lakewood Police Sergeant Mark Renninger, Officer Greg Richards, Officer Tina Griswold, and Officer Ronald Owens
[Links above are to Officer Down Memorial Page memorials]
Seattle Post Intelligencer Overview of fatal police shooting coverage HERE
SEARCH FOR CLEMMONS LEADS POLICE TO SEATTLE HOME
By KOMO Staff
Nov 29, 2009 at 10:30 PM PST
[Excerpts] Police searching for the person of interest in the Lakewood police shooting have surrounded a home in the city's Leschi neighborhood. Spokesman Jeff Kappel said the SWAT team surrounded the home around 8:45 p.m. after receiving a tip that Maurice Clemmons may be inside. Clemmons, 37, is being sought in the deadly shooting of four Lakewood police officers on Sunday morning... THE HOME IS LOCATED JUST BLOCKS FROM THE LOCATION WHERE SEATTLE OFFICER TIMOTHY BRENTON WAS SHOT TO DEATH WHILE IN A PATROL CAR WITH OFFICER BRITT SWEENEY, A TRAINEE, LESS THAN A MONTH AGO. [Full article here]
MORE:
KIRO 7: Police May Have Person Of Interest Surrounded
KIRO 7: Police Could File Charges Against KING-TV Over Chopper
KIRO 7: Police Seek Ex-Con In Wash. Police Shootings
KIRO 7: [Video] Disbelief, Sadness Surrounds Shootings
KING 5: 4 slain were original Lakewood officers
KING 5: [Video] Person of interest in police killings had life sentence commuted
KING 5: Vigils across the region for slain Lakewood officers
KING 5: Person of interest in police killings had life sentence commuted
News Tribune: UPDATED: Person of interest sought in Lakewood officers slaying
News Tribune: Person of interest in slayings began criminal career as a teen
News Tribune: Lakewood identifies the four slain police officers
News Tribune: 700 attend vigil service for slain Lakewood officers
KOMO 4: Hotlink: Forza Coffee starts fund for families of fallen officers
KOMO 4: Mayor: Slain Lakewood officers were 'dedicated, selfless'
KOMO 4: Hotlink: More coverage, photos and videos from the scene
KOMO 4: Mayor: Slain Lakewood officers were 'dedicated, selfless'
KOMO 4: Police confirm "person of interest" in cop killings is in Seattle
VIDEOS OF THE PROCESSION TODAY:
- Procession taking the bodies of the four murdered Lakewood Police officers
- Lakewood officer procession procession to honor the fallen officers
- procession to honor the fallen officers
NOVEMBER 30TH:
The President of the Lakewood Police Independent Guild, Brian D. Wurts, issued a statement...
"As I write this I am numb. We were dealt a nasty blow, good men and women I have had the honor of knowing for years are senselessly gone. There is no way to comprehend it, to validate it, or to make sense of any of it. You cannot understand evil like this, as a community we must form a solid bond against criminals and hold them accountable. I know my members and can say with certainty that as a group we will remain professional and will continue to work to protect those of you we have taken an oath to protect. If you know a cop tell them how much you appreciate them, it truly keeps us going. Please pray for these officers and their families. All of them had significant others and children who are left behind."
Source: Suspect In Murder Of 4 Lakewood Cops Eludes Police, KING5, November 30, 2009 8:42 AM
KING 5: Suspect in Lakewood police slayings in standoff with police
KING 5: Suspect in murder of 4 Lakewood cops eludes police
KING 5: Vigils across the region for slain Lakewood officers
KIRO 7: Shooting Suspect Not Found Inside Seattle Home
NEWS TRIBUNE: Suspect believed to be in Seattle house, wounded
NEWS TRIBUNE: The latest information from police briefings
NEWS TRIBUNE: Suspect not found in Seattle house
NEWS TRIBUNE: Pierce County flags at half staff to honor fallen Lakewood officers
KOMO 4: Renninger family grieves for fallen officer
KOMO 4: 'Four lives in one split, one minute'
KOMO 4: Search of home for shooting suspect comes up empty
KOMO 4: [Video] W. Wash. in shock over officers' killings
KOMO 4: Hotlink - Lakewood Police Officers Procession
DECEMBER 1, 2009
MAURICE CLEMMONS KILLED IN EARLY MORNING
See Google News search results HERE
Dec 1, 5:25 AM
Listening to televised news conference. Yes Clemmons is dead. He had on him one of the slain Lakewood Police officer's weapons. This morning one officer heard movement behind him as he was checking out what appeared to be (and was) a stolen car with it's hood up - the officer turned recognized it was Clemmons coming up behind him. The officer told Clemmons to stop, show his hands, Clemmons refused, tried to run and the officer shot several rounds. People helped Clemmons and some are arrested - including the getaway driver on the day the officers where shot. Clemmons had a bad gunshot wound in the center of his abdomen from one of the officers he killed. Police will release which slain officer was able to shoot Clemmons before he died.
FROM TWITTER:
ganeshpuri89: RT @206Reporting: scanner audio of Maurice Clemmons being located/shot http://reportingfromseattle.posterous.com/ #Washooting
KIRO7Julie: Breaking News: When Maurice Clemmons was shot this morning in South Seattle he had a weapon on him from one of the deceased officers
srockett201: Maurice Clemmons has been neutralized. Brother and sisters in blue: Remain vigilant. Be armed. Tend the sheep.
It's midnight.
ReplyDeleteDear God help everyone tonight through these hours, and through
day two.
Stories of our fallen
ReplyDeleteBrian D. Wurts, President
Lakewood Police Independent Guild
Updated On: Nov 30, 2009 (03:57:00)
[Excerpts] We lost our brothers and sister yesterday. We have not slept and to be honest I do not know what more I am able to do. I do not want to sleep; we want this criminal brought to justice. Like my members with attest I will sit at my computer and write to them when I need to put it out there. Tonight I will write to them and anyone else who will listen about our four heroes... I have never cried like I have over the past 16 hours and I hope sharing a couple things about these individuals will bring those citizens we are truly proud to serve closer to us... Mark is that guy who is the go to guy for everything. He was the most competent and tactically proficient man I ever knew in police work... This was the last guy any of us thought would have died like this. There is no doubt in my mind he did not see anything coming... Mark has three kids and a great wife that the toughest cop I knew softly spoke about. Mark is in heaven standing guard at the gate. I know this is true. Ronald Owens, or Ronnie to all of us, was the laid back dirt bike riding, surfer hair having cop, you would always want at a party or with you on any call. Though he had a laid back perspective he was sharp and an extremely dedicated and hard worker. Ronnie was a go to guy for having a friend in any business that could help us out... Ronnie was my calm down guy, an even keel who was able to put a perspective on things with few words. Ronnie has a beautiful little daughter. We love you brother. Tina was our conservative friend. She was excited to be a part of the Olympia Tea Parties and proudly stated why she got involved in politics over the past year. Tina was sharp too... She would tell you where you could go and like Mark you always knew where you stood with her. She was the toughest little cop I have ever known. Tina has two children and a husband who loves her deeply... Greg Richards was the drummer in a rock band you would never know was a drummer in a rock band. Greg was a great cop who cared about one thing above all else, his family. He was a proud dad to three kids and wanted nothing more than to spend all of his time off with his wife and kids... As our Department weeps we know our brothers and sisters are in a place where people don’t come in a calm place and take your life because of the shield you wear or the basic oath we took. This will never make sense to us, it can’t. There will never be an explanation that works that will heal us. We can simply hope to take this senseless act of evil and turn it around to motivate our other officers, elected officials, and our entire community to keep make sure these parolees stay in prison and our communities stay safe. These predators who should be locked up commit the bulk of all of the crime against us. We will make sure your families are taken care of and do everything in our power to give your children a college education. God bless you Mark, Greg, Tina, and Ronnie boy. We cannot stop crying and we cannot stop hurting right now. WE love you all.
Youtube: General Prayer for 4 Police officers murdered in Lakewood, Washington
ReplyDeleteYoutube: Lakewood Police Officers Tribute Nov. 29, 2009
$125,000 reward in officers' shooting deaths
ReplyDeleteThe Associated Press
TACOMA, Wash.
November 30, 2009
Pierce County authorities say there is a $125,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the suspect in the slayings of four police officers.
Authorities are searching for 37-year-old Maurice Clemmons. He is wanted on four counts of first-degree murder in the Sunday morning shooting deaths of the officers at a coffee house in Parkland, south of Tacoma.
The reward money has been put up by the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, and Crime Stoppers.
3AM NEWS
ReplyDeleteSEATTLE POLICE RUSH TO RAINIER VALLEY IN HUNT FOR POLICE KILLER
KIRO7
POSTED: 7:06 AM PST NOVEMBER 30, 2009U
PDATED: 3:11 AM PST DECEMBER 1, 2009
SEATTLE -- SEATTLE POLICE RUSHED TO S. KENYON ST. IN RAINIER VALLEY EARLY TUESDAY MORNING IN THEIR SEARCH FOR MAURICE CLEMMONS, THE SUSPECTED KILLER OF FOUR LAKEWOOD POLICE OFFICERS... OFFICERS WITH ASSAULT RIFLES ARE MANNING A ROADBLOCK AT MLK AND S. KENYON ST. FIREFIGHTERS AND MEDIC UNITS ALSO RESPONDED... SWAT TEAMS BUSTED INTO A RENTON DUPLEX... THEY BROKE A WINDOW AND BURST INTO HER NEIGHBOR'S APARTMENT. VIDEO SHOWN ON KIRO 7 SHOWS BROKEN FURNITURE, GLASS, AND VARIOUS ITEMS STREWN ACROSS THE FLOOR INSIDE THE APARTMENT... REPORTER DEBORAH HORNE WATCHED OFFICERS TOW A CAR AWAY FROM THE SCENE... OFFICERS WITH SEARCH DOGS WENT DOOR TO DOOR, POLICE WATCHED BUS AND TRAIN TERMINALS, AND STATE TROOPERS MONITORED FREEWAYS IN THE MASSIVE SEARCH FOR CLEMMONS, WHO POLICE SAID SUFFERED A GUNSHOT WOUND TO THE TORSO DURING THE SHOOTING... EVIDENCE FOUND AT THE LESCHI HOME INDICATED HE WAS STILL BLEEDING BADLY WHEN HE ARRIVED THERE... HEAVILY ARMED OFFICERS WITH A K-9 SEARCHED A HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT KNOWN AS THE JUNGLE IN JOSE RIZAL PARK, THEN WENT TO THE INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT WHERE BLOODY BANDAGES WERE FOUND ON THE STREET... SOMEONE REPORTED SEEING CLEMMONS ON A METRO BUS AT FOURTH AVENUE AND JAMES STREET IN DOWNTOWN SEATTLE. POLICE IMPOUNDED THE BUS TO CHECK FOR TRACES OF BLOOD FROM THE WOUNDED SUSPECT, ALTHOUGH NO BLOOD WAS VISIBLE... THE SEARCH MOVED TO COWAN PARK IN SEATTLE'S RAVENNA NEIGHBORHOOD, WHERE DOZENS OF ARMED POLICE RESPONDED TO A REPORT OF A FRESH BLOOD ON A TRAIL. POLICE COLLECTED EVIDENCE FROM SOME OF THE SCENES... CLEMMONS WAS UPGRADED FROM A PERSON OF INTEREST TO A SUSPECT BECAUSE INVESTIGATORS FOUND EVIDENCE CLEMMONS WAS WOUNDED DURING THE SUNDAY MORNING ATTACK. POLICE HAVE ISSUED AN ARREST WARRANT FOR CLEMMONS ON FOUR COUNTS OF FIRST-DEGREE MURDER. SUNDAY NIGHT, POLICE FIRST SURROUNDED CLEMMONS' HOME IN TACOMA, USING A LOUDSPEAKER, EXPLOSIONS AND GUNFIRE EARLY MONDAY MORNING TO PROD THE MAN THEY THOUGHT WAS HOLED UP IN THE HOUSE TO GIVE HIMSELF UP. AFTER ENTERING THE HOME AND DISCOVERING THAT CLEMMONS WAS NOT INSIDE, AUTHORITIES TRACKED CLEMMONS TO THE LESCHI HOME AT 32ND AVENUE SOUTH AND YESLER STREET AT ABOUT 9 P.M., WHERE OFFICERS BELIEVED CLEMMONS WAS DROPPED OFF BLEEDING FROM WOUNDS... WIDELY SPACED, DELIBERATE GUNFIRE FOLLOWED NEGOTIATORS' USE OF LOUDSPEAKERS AND EXPLOSIONS. OFFICERS SURROUNDING THE HOUSE SHONE LIGHTS ON IT AND CALLED OUT TO CLEMMONS BY NAME, SAYING: "MR. CLEMMONS, I'D LIKE TO GET YOU OUT OF THERE SAFELY. I CAN TELL YOU THIS, WE ARE NOT GOING AWAY."... POLICE BEGAN USING SIRENS OUTSIDE THE HOUSE, AND THERE WERE SEVERAL LOUD BANGS BEFORE THE NEGOTIATOR RESUMED SPEAKING. "THIS IS ONE OF THE TOUGHEST DECISIONS YOU'LL MAKE IN YOUR LIFE, BUT YOU NEED TO MAN UP"... POLICE ENTERED THE HOME. CLEMMONS WAS NOT INSIDE.TROYER SAID SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE SUSPECTED OF HELPING CLEMMONS HAVE BEEN DETAINED AND MORE MAY BE TAKEN INTO CUSTODY IN SEATTLE AND PIERCE COUNTY... [FULL ARTICLE HERE]
Clemmons is dead.
ReplyDeleteNow I can get back to what I do.
Prayers are lifted for the families and all law enforcement officers just trying to do their jobs.
May this not be a trend.
Lakewood 23 out of service... gone, but not forgotten.
ReplyDeleteLakewood 101 out of service... gone, but not forgotten.
Lakewood 121 out of service... gone, but not forgotten.
Lakewood 135 out of service....gone, but not forgotten.