Maurice Clemmons, Suspect in Seattle Cop Killings, Shot Dead by Police

After a two-day manhunt, Seattle police shot and killed Maurice Clemmons, the suspected killer of four police officers in a coffee shop in Parkland, Washington on Sunday. Maurice Clemmons was located around 2:40 a.m., Tuesday morning. Pierce County Sheriff's Office spokesman Ed Troyer told CNN that "When they [Seattle police] came in contact with the suspect, shots were fired and the suspect was shot and killed."

KIRO 7 Eyewitness News reporter Rick Price was told by neighbors that they were awakened in the early morning hours by gunshots. It is reported that a Seattle police officer was investigating a stolen car in the Rainier Valley area about 2:45 a.m. According to Assistant Police Chief Jim Pugel, whle the officer processed the stolen vehicle report, he saw a man approaching the police car and recognized Maurice Clemmons. The officer ordered him to show his hands and stop. When Clemmons began to flee after once again being told to stop, "the officer fired several rounds and took the person into custody." Pugel said that a handgun belonging to one of the slain officers was found on Clemmons' person. Clemmons died en route to Harborview Medical Center.

On Monday evening, police and SWAT teams burst into a Renton area duplex, the home of Maurice Clemmons' niece, Destiny Hinton. Hinton told KIRO 7 that she hadn't seen her uncle in at least a month. KIRO 7 video shows broken glass, furniture and others items that had been thrown around on the floor of the apartment.

Maurice Clemmons had been on the run for two days, and police charge that friends and relatives gave him places to stay, medical aid, rides and money. Clemmons' sister was detained on Monday, and is suspected of treating the gunshot wound Clemmons sustained during his deadly attack on the four police officers in a coffee house Sunday morning. Troyer said, "We believe she drove him up to Seattle and bandaged him up." Police also believe officers were misled by other friends and relatives of Clemmons.

Four people who allegedly assisted Clemmons in eluding police during the massive two-day manhunt were arrested, and more arrests are anticipated. Troyer said, "We expect to have maybe six or seven people in custody by the day's end. Some are friends, some are acquaintances, some are partners in crime, some are relatives. Now they're all partners in crime."

Police still do not know why Maurice Clemmons shot the officers. Clemmons was already facing charges in Washington State of raping a child and assaulting a police officer. Investigators in the rape case say Clemmons was motivated by visions that the world was on the verge of the apocalypse and he was Jesus Christ. Family members described Clemmons as increasingly erratic in the past few month, reporting that he once gathered his wife and young relatives and ordered them to undress, saying things like "trust him," "the world is going to end soon" and that he was Jesus," a Pierce County sheriff's report said. Clemmons was also reported to have bragged to friends that he was planning on killing police officers the night before the attack. No one reported his remarks to police.

The News Tribune reported that two state psychologists in a court-ordered report called Clemmons dangerous, stating that he had "an increased risk for future dangerous behavior and jeopardizing public safety." Despite these findings, they claimed there were insufficient grounds to recommend Clemons be civilly committed.

Killed in the Parkland coffee house were Sgt. Mark Renninger, 39, and Officers Ronald Owens, 37, Tina Griswold, 40, and Greg Richards, 42.

Sources: KiroTV.com; Chatterbox.com; NationalPost.com; komonews.com; Timesonline.co.uk; Huffington Post; The Seattle Times