Seattle Times (RVP News Partner):
Maurice Clemmons, the suspect wanted in slaying of four Lakewood police officers, was shot and killed in South Seattle early this morning.
Clemmons, who reportedly was armed with a handgun taken from one of officers he is accused of killing, was standing outside in the 4400 block of South Kenyon Street when he was confronted by a South Precinct patrol officer. He refused commands to stop was shot by the officer about 2:45 a.m.
According to Seattle Assistant Police Chief Jim Pugel, the officer was on patrol came when he upon a car that had been reported stolen and the car was running. Read more.
Photo/David Mullarkey Images
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{ 24 comments }
The choppers woke me at 3AM…why are they still circling at 7:30?
boy, i’m glad that is over. We heard choppers all evening. Nice of Clemmons to pick OUR neighborhood to hang out in..
And that is how you save the Tax payers money.
So happy this menace to society is gone. The people that mislead or helped him have wasted too much taxpayers money and diverted precious resources.
Glad this guy is off the streets, nice work by the officer but why does this sh*t always have to go down in the Rainier Valley
Possibly the closest rainier valley will ever come to the national spotlight.
And for exactly the reason you’d expect rainier valley to be in the national spotlight, too. Home sweet home!
Thanks South Precinct! ! Im a single mom on Kenyon St. who was awaken by a knock on my door at 1:20am – My so called gaurd dog was in a deep sleep and I was feeling very scared but after several minutes I crept to window and I could see no one outside, so I sat up in bed for an hour just listening for noises that would alert me to call the police. When I heard all the police sirens an hour or so later I was relieved but I had no idea what was going on. I understand the suspect stole a car from S. Chicago street at 12:40am – by the way, I really hope that the blocks around Kenyon can get some significantly brighter street lights …
My sincere gratitude to the South Precinct and particularly to the lone officer who was involved in ending this saga. After all this guy had done, killing 4 officers leaving 9 kids to grow without one of their parents this could only be considered the best solution. Judging by the description given that he had left the car running and was lurking in the dark, one has to ask if this wasn’t in fact a trap to lure the police to the car so that he could shoot them. He knew that all his family hideouts were under police surveilance and knew that it was only a matter of time before he was captured, so he chose the suicide by cop option but wanted to take another officer with him. Thank God for the quick thinking of the officer – his quick action saved his own life.
So, since the person whose car was stolen from S. Chicago street called the police to report the car theft and it is the car that led to the shooting of this guy, will the person be eligible for the $125k reward? I sure hope so!
omigoodness, Lovely, I’m glad you didn’t answer the door!!!!!!
Too close to home, Amber.
The RVP World headquarters is always near the action!
I was already to go into a long drawn out explanation of the laws, case-law, and training regarding deadly force apprehensions, but it looks like the Seattle Times took the time to point out the basic applicable law (which honestly shocked me when I noted that Steve Miletich was one of the contributors to the story) in their story.
It looks like Clemmons was setting up for another ambush. Thankfully he did not kill another person, or get hold of a marked patrol car and more police weapons. There was really no other reason to return to the stolen car when the police have located it and are present, when as it was he could have just disappeared into the shadows. If his intent had been suicide-by-cop, there would have been no reason to try and approach the officer from behind.
Unfortunately, the report required for recovering a stolen car has to be filled out at the scene, regardless of whether or not the car is to be impounded or not. It is one of those times where officers have no choice but to divide their attention while in the field. Fortunately this officer was on the ball and spotted the movement coming up behind him, or this may have been a different story, and a still on-going search for a killer on the loose.
See you on the streets!
(one-time smiley for now because I don’t have to go to another funeral…then back to no smiley’s for a while)
I know bad things happen in lots of neighborhoods, but I don’t think there are many people in Wallingford who would be willing to harbor a suspected cop killer, child rapist, etc. I love the Southend, but hate the lack of regard for human life that we experience here. Ugh.
When I was reading it, it sounded like an ambush setup. Why else steal a car a block or two away and park it and get out right there?,Scary
Hi Seattle Cop,
Thank you for all you do protecting our streets and putting your lives in harms way every day. If you are from the South Precinct, congratulations for the leadership you all provided in this manhunt.
Would you please comment on the laws regarding the reward money and if the person who reported a car stollen is elligible to receive it?
Thanks,
Is this a potential hate crime lawsuit? Why would people aid a person that killed 4 public servants? All of the cops being fired at (5 killed, 1 wounded and survived) in the last 2 months were caucasian.
Anonymous, whatever
SouthSeattlelite: Thank you for you support.
As far as I know, the reward money was put up by mostly private donors, as was the case with the Timothy Brenton case. In fact I think most of the large donors were the same in both cases. I am not as familiar with the specifics of the reward in the Lakewood case. I can tell you that in the Brenton case, because the vast majority of the money was put up by private parties (SPD Guild, Trooper’s Association, Sheriff’s Guild, an unnamed private party, a downtown business association, etc…) that the rules for that money, with exception to any public funds offered, are completely up to the private donors to to set conditions for who gets the payout.
Crime Stoppers (which I think maxes out at $10,000 rewards) offers rewards for information on wanted fuguitives, and usually the reward is predicated on information leading to an arrest and filing of charges. In the old days it was required to get a conviction to get the reward, but that condition changed some years ago.
I doubt that the person who reported the car stolen is eligible under anyone’s guidelines to a reward payment, as he was reporting a car stolen, not providing information specifically on the fugitive.
See you on the streets! (no smiley)
I am so thankful that the killer is dead and that no other officers were killed. I am so thankful for law enforcement – you have a scary job. I am and have always been impressed with Seattle PD – especially the south precinct – you truly deal with some the the dregs of society down here – with class.
Lovely, your comment is very worrisome. Do you have any idea who would be knocking that late? Did you think maybe it was him? I’d be so freaked out just from an actually early morning knock and then to hear sirens, wow. I hope if it happens again that you quickly dial 911 and don’t wait to hear anything else that would further alert you.
I saw the car owner on TV news last night and he indicated that the car had some serious mechanical problems and probably broke down (why the hood was up). It seems fate had its hand in this as well.
@ Lovely
I know your story is serious and I’m glad all is well. Your so called guard dog in a deep sleep is pretty funny. I can see him thinking,” Get the door, you see I’m sleep”.
yea, I saw the car owner also, instant karma.
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