SWAT Surrounds Home In Leschi Looking for Police Slaying Suspect

SPD patrol and SWAT officers surrounded a home in the Leschi neighborhood around 9:00 p.m. Sunday night after locating a suspect in the slaying of four police officers, who were shot do death in Parkland , WA Sunday morning.

The home is on E Superior Street and Erie Avenue. Officers diverted Metro buses in the area, called in K9, police negotiators, armored vehicles, a mobile precinct, and the King County Sheriff's Guardian One helicopter. Officers were called in from other precincts, and police completely locked down the neighborhood. "We're using an abundance of caution," SPD spokesman told reporters at the scene. "We have to go on the assumption that anyone may be involved in the events today may be armed and extremely dangerous."

Police were looking for a 37-year-old felon, Maurice Clemmons, who they believe is responsible for the murder of four Lakewood police officers at a coffee shop near McChord air force base in the morning hours of November 30th. The owner of the home surrounded by SWAT officers appears to be related to Clemmons. A woman apparently dropped Clemmons off at the home earlier in the day, and later contacted police to tell them he was there.

Police attempted contact with Clemmons through the evening and into the early morning hours. Police finally zeroed in on a trailer near the rear of the home. Scanner chatter appeared to indicate Clemmons was wounded—possibly by one of the officers killed in Parkland—and was still armed, possibly with access to five rifles and shotguns.

While police took tactical positions around the home, officers also scoured the neighborhood for a possible accomplice, who police say is driving an older model white Buick. The 20-year-old man police were looking for has several previous convictions for assault and driving without a license. His records also appear to indicate a prior drug charge. Several other people were detained by police during the course of the investigation.

Just after 1:00 a.m., negotiators attempted to contact Clemmons and tried to coax him out of the home. The PI overheard a negotiator at the scene tell Clemmons " I'd like to minimilize what you did today but I'm not sure I can do that."

Police eventually began firing tear gas and flashbangs near the trailer around 1:45 a.m. "This is one of the toughest decisions you'll make in your life," a negotiator said over a loudspeaker. "But you need to man up."

At 3:00 a.m., Pierce County Sheriff's spokesman Ed Tryoer briefed the media, saying Clemmons "is our suspect. He is shot. We don't know his condition." Police said Clemmons was shot during a struggle with a police officer killed in the shooting. 

After hours of being unable to make contact with Clemmons, police moved in on the shack they believed he was hiding in at about 3:30.

Thanks for your patience, folks. A big ol' surge of traffic put us down for a bit, but we're not out. And as an added bonus, I'm pretty sure we just kicked City Dog Magazine's ass.

Photos by JSeattle/CHS