SEATTLE – Authorities say the suspect in the fatal shooting of a Tacoma, Washington, police officer has been shot and killed by officers after a lengthy barricade situation.
Pierce County Sheriff’s Department spokesman Ed Troyer says the suspect was shot at approximately 3:30 a.m. Thursday, ending an 11-hour standoff. The suspect has not been identified.
Troyer says a girl and a boy, were found unharmed, and have been taken from the house. He says officers found multiple weapons in the house.
Tacoma Police spokeswoman Loretta Cool said the officer was pronounced dead at the hospital after nightfall.
“We’ve suffered a great loss and I think the community has suffered a great loss. I don’t know how to put that into words,” Cool said.
After the death of the officer, who still hasn’t been publicly identified, a procession of law enforcement officers from around the region escorted the body from the hospital to the county medical examiner’s office.
After 2 a.m. PST Thursday, the standoff was ongoing with many emergency vehicles with flashing lights and numerous officers posted outside the home where the suspect was thought to be. Cool said earlier that the neighbourhood had been locked down while officers from multiple agencies were “working to bring it to a peaceful resolution.”
She also said it’s possible the suspect, who hasn’t been identified, could have left while police were removing the wounded officer from the scene. She said that’s why the large neighbourhood perimeter had been set up.
Cool said police responded to the home Wednesday afternoon in the 400 block of East 52nd Street and that shortly after arriving, officers called for backup.
Reacting to shots fired, arriving officers entered the home and managed to get the wounded officer outside and to a hospital, Cool said. She had said the officer had been undergoing surgery before the death was announced.
It wasn’t immediately clear what led up to the shooting.
In a statement, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee said he and his wife Trudi were sending their thoughts and prayers to the family and loved ones of the officer.
“All of Washington grieves with Tacoma, which tonight lost one of their finest. Our hearts are with the men and women of the Tacoma Police Department, their families, and their brothers and sisters in law enforcement across Washington.”