4 police officers killed in Wash. coffee shop

[StoneCold]

Four cops and not a single one keeping an eye on what's happening around them. Four open laptops in a coffee shop?

Save the hunt and peck for the station and be at the ready for psycho killers. I'm sure they know a cop uniform is a target.

This was not random. The killer stood in line until he got close to them, then opened fire.

[steveo777]

Four cops and not a single one keeping an eye on what's happening around them. Four open laptops in a coffee shop?

Save the hunt and peck for the station and be at the ready for psycho killers. I'm sure they know a cop uniform is a target.

This was not random. The killer stood in line until he got close to them, then opened fire.

Agree, except they had probably been coming to this place for years and felt comfortable there. Man, were they wrong that day.

[StevePerryHair]

Four cops and not a single one keeping an eye on what's happening around them. Four open laptops in a coffee shop?

Save the hunt and peck for the station and be at the ready for psycho killers. I'm sure they know a cop uniform is a target.

This was not random. The killer stood in line until he got close to them, then opened fire.

It's not like there are psycho killers lurking in every coffee shop across the nation. Cops do this everyday and nothing happens. I bet most will be more on their guard now, after this though. Who would expect a cop to be shot doing something like having their morning briefing over coffee? Most cops are shot in the line of duty, on a call, or killed in car accidents. This was a horrible freak thing and those cops did nothing wrong but showed up for work that day. And cops ARE on guard trust me. 24/7,even when not in uniform. When we sit in a restaurant, my husband always takes the seat where he can see the door. To see who comes in and so he can react if he needs to for a robbery or whatever. He actually THINKS of that. And I've always teased him about that. And these cops may have thought they were alert too, but an ambush is an ambush. It's hard to react quickly when someone opens fire.

Think about what you just said. So cops should never go out to eat for lunch either? Or stop to have a coffee? Everything outside of their car should be done at the station so they can keep from being shot at? That's just not realistic.

[Playitloudforme]

Four cops and not a single one keeping an eye on what's happening around them. Four open laptops in a coffee shop?

Save the hunt and peck for the station and be at the ready for psycho killers. I'm sure they know a cop uniform is a target.

This was not random. The killer stood in line until he got close to them, then opened fire.

Per news sources (and we all know how accurate THAT bs is...): This guy was reportedly saying over the weekend he was going to go gunning for some cops cause he was pissed at being incarcerated. I'm not sure that these four (or any one of them) had anything to do with the jerk being in jail. He may have noticed they go in there, and that's the limit of it. He wanted to kill, he wanted to kill cops, but not necessarily these four specifically. If anything, the four gathered together probably made his job easier... he was sure to kill.

I just want him caught. He sounds like he's snapped big time, a rapist on top of being a gun-weilding, cop-killing psycho. Anyone is fair game.

[StoneCold]

Four cops and not a single one keeping an eye on what's happening around them. Four open laptops in a coffee shop?

Save the hunt and peck for the station and be at the ready for psycho killers. I'm sure they know a cop uniform is a target.

This was not random. The killer stood in line until he got close to them, then opened fire.

It's not like there are psycho killers lurking in every coffee shop across the nation. Cops do this everyday and nothing happens.

Not in coffee shops but in every major metro area there are thugs. Organized thugs. Putting on the uniform is like strapping a bullseye on your back.

Its always been a combat zone but this is wake up call.

Check out any rap, hip hop site right now and look at the comments. They're cheering on the thug and dissing the cops.

It disgusts me that there were four armed cops wearing bullet proof vests and this thug got the jump on them. This scumbucket should've been doing duty as a welcome mat as soon as he fired off the first shot.

[StevePerryHair]

Four cops and not a single one keeping an eye on what's happening around them. Four open laptops in a coffee shop?

Save the hunt and peck for the station and be at the ready for psycho killers. I'm sure they know a cop uniform is a target.

This was not random. The killer stood in line until he got close to them, then opened fire.

It's not like there are psycho killers lurking in every coffee shop across the nation. Cops do this everyday and nothing happens.

Not in coffee shops but in every major metro area there are thugs. Organized thugs. Putting on the uniform is like strapping a bullseye on your back.

Its always been a combat zone but this is wake up call.

Check out any rap, hip hop site right now and look at the comments. They're cheering on the thug and dissing the cops.

It disgusts me that there were four armed cops wearing bullet proof vests and this thug got the jump on them. This scumbucket should've been doing duty as a welcome mat as soon as he fired off the first shot.

This isn't freaking Afghanistan and I don't think that these cops would have been thinking about getting shot up and ambushed by someone in a place they probably had coffee in EVERY DAY. On guard for a robbery, sure, but for someone to come in and just start shooting them, no way. No cop would have been ready for that. I don't know that area, but most cops wouldn't sit in a really high risk area and do something like that. I'm guessing it was a place they felt safe enough to do what they were doing. This guy banked on that. There is NOTHING wrong with what these cops did. Cops do that everyday. It takes time to unholster a gun, and this guy OBVIOUSLY ambushed them before they could get him first. It wouldnt' be that hard to do in a situation like that. Officers are not complacent. He took them by surprise and it could have happened ANYWHERE with ANY cop. Do you know this area of Tacoma that you can make such judgements comparing it to a combat zone???

[KDOUBLEU]

Four cops and not a single one keeping an eye on what's happening around them. Four open laptops in a coffee shop?

Save the hunt and peck for the station and be at the ready for psycho killers. I'm sure they know a cop uniform is a target.

This was not random. The killer stood in line until he got close to them, then opened fire.

It's not like there are psycho killers lurking in every coffee shop across the nation. Cops do this everyday and nothing happens.

Not in coffee shops but in every major metro area there are thugs. Organized thugs. Putting on the uniform is like strapping a bullseye on your back.

Its always been a combat zone but this is wake up call.

Check out any rap, hip hop site right now and look at the comments. They're cheering on the thug and dissing the cops.

It disgusts me that there were four armed cops wearing bullet proof vests and this thug got the jump on them. This scumbucket should've been doing duty as a welcome mat as soon as he fired off the first shot.

This isn't freaking Afghanistan and I don't think that these cops would have been thinking about getting shot up and ambushed by someone in a place they probably had coffee in EVERY DAY. On guard for a robbery, sure, but for someone to come in and just start shooting them, no way. No cop would have been ready for that. I don't know that area, but most cops wouldn't sit in a really high risk area and do something like that. I'm guessing it was a place they felt safe enough to do what they were doing. This guy banked on that. There is NOTHING wrong with what these cops did. Cops do that everyday. It takes time to unholster a gun, and this guy OBVIOUSLY ambushed them before they could get him first. It wouldnt' be that hard to do in a situation like that. Officers are not complacent. He took them by surprise and it could have happened ANYWHERE with ANY cop. Do you know this area of Tacoma that you can make such judgements comparing it to a combat zone???

Very well said. People with there opinions just dont have a clue....

[Ehwmatt]

I got a friend this thug oughta meet



Do ya feel lucky... PUNK?!

[StevePerryHair]

I got a friend this thug oughta meet



Do ya feel lucky... PUNK?!

I have a feeling he won't be feeling so lucky when they finally catch up to him. I'm thinking this guy would be better off doing the job himself at this point...

[Ehwmatt]

On a serious note, I somewhat see what Stone Cold is saying. When I just read the headline, my first thought was "How the hell did he get 4 cops that quick?"

But I mean it was definitely a complete out and out ambush. Cops have to be on their guard even when making a routine traffic stop, you never know what's going on with the guy you just stopped or what kinda rap sheet he might be running from or even the next DUI he's trying to avoid, but to expect them to be on their guard while sitting there having some coffee is probably a bit much. It's just too bad one of them couldn't unholster quick enough and put this fucker away. I guess lesson learned, you have to always be watching your ass when you have the uniform on.

It's just truly alarming how brazen the acts of violence are that goes on in this society.

[StoneCold]

Gangs, drug dealers and myriad psychotics have access to guns. All are willing to shoot at cops. Cops in uniform are easy to spot.

I'd say they're in a combat zone every day.

http://www.odmp.org/officer/19765-polic ... -pawlowski

During the dispute, the cab driver had told the suspect that he was going to call the police, to which the suspect responded "'If you call police, I shoot you plus the police."

The suspect had his hands in his pockets. Officer Pawlowski ordered the suspect to show his hands. The suspect did not comply, and immediately opened fire with a .357 handgun, shooting through the pocket of his coat.

http://www.odmp.org/officer/19871-deput ... ad-mechels

Deputy Chad Mechels was shot and killed while performing a well-being visit.

Deputy Mechels responded to a farmhouse west of Marion, South Dakota, to check on the well-being of an individual. After arriving, he was shot.

http://www.odmp.org/officer/19876-corre ... ark-parker

A suspect had gone to the courthouse with the intention of shooting a police officer who had given him a traffic ticket.

[StevePerryHair]

Gangs, drug dealers and myriad psychotics have access to guns. All are willing to shoot at cops. Cops in uniform are easy to spot.

I'd say they're in a combat zone every day.

http://www.odmp.org/officer/19765-polic ... -pawlowski

During the dispute, the cab driver had told the suspect that he was going to call the police, to which the suspect responded "'If you call police, I shoot you plus the police."

The suspect had his hands in his pockets. Officer Pawlowski ordered the suspect to show his hands. The suspect did not comply, and immediately opened fire with a .357 handgun, shooting through the pocket of his coat.

http://www.odmp.org/officer/19871-deput ... ad-mechels

Deputy Chad Mechels was shot and killed while performing a well-being visit.

Deputy Mechels responded to a farmhouse west of Marion, South Dakota, to check on the well-being of an individual. After arriving, he was shot.

http://www.odmp.org/officer/19876-corre ... ark-parker

A suspect had gone to the courthouse with the intention of shooting a police officer who had given him a traffic ticket.

I really don't get what you are trying to prove here. Cops put that uniform on EVERY SINGLE DAY OF THEIR LIVES knowing they may not come home to their families. They don't get paid enough for that price, yet they do it willingly and bravely EVERY DAY. With that job comes risk and there is a huge history since the beginning of law enforcement officers have been killed in the line of duty. What makes this case so shocking is that they were just sitting having coffee. Usually, they are on calls or pulling a car over when it happens. This guy was cold and calculated and NO ONE could have predicted this could happen. Easy in hind sight to say what they should have done. Try doing that job for one day. Better yet, I URGE YOU to do a ride along if they offer them in your area!! I did once, and it was EYE OPENING. And other wives could not understand why I"d want to see it. But it was important for me to see it. To truly understand what he goes through every day. You really have no clue.

[KDOUBLEU]

I do not walk out of my house every day wondering if Im going to get gunned down. I do watch people differently(I think) than everyone else. I do question everything and I do not trust anybody.I dont do well in crowds and I need to sit facing the door in all restaurants. I once grabbed some ones arm when they bumped up against me in a crowd. Things happen fast with minimal time to react. We are trained for every situation, all the training in the world doesnt compare to real life.

[JH'sTXfan]

This isn't freaking Afghanistan and I don't think that these cops would have been thinking about getting shot up and ambushed by someone in a place they probably had coffee in EVERY DAY. On guard for a robbery, sure, but for someone to come in and just start shooting them, no way. No cop would have been ready for that. I don't know that area, but most cops wouldn't sit in a really high risk area and do something like that. I'm guessing it was a place they felt safe enough to do what they were doing. This guy banked on that. There is NOTHING wrong with what these cops did. Cops do that everyday. It takes time to unholster a gun, and this guy OBVIOUSLY ambushed them before they could get him first. It wouldnt' be that hard to do in a situation like that. Officers are not complacent. He took them by surprise and it could have happened ANYWHERE with ANY cop. Do you know this area of Tacoma that you can make such judgements comparing it to a combat zone???

Very well said. People with there opinions just dont have a clue....

I'll third that. Very good points SPH.

[Ehwmatt]

I do not walk out of my house every day wondering if Im going to get gunned down. I do watch people differently(I think) than everyone else. I do question everything and I do not trust anybody.I dont do well in crowds and I need to sit facing the door in all restaurants. I once grabbed some ones arm when they bumped up against me in a crowd. Things happen fast with minimal time to react. We are trained for every situation, all the training in the world doesnt compare to real life.

Just take care out there - this world seems to get scarier with each passing week.

[portland]

I do not walk out of my house every day wondering if Im going to get gunned down. I do watch people differently(I think) than everyone else. I do question everything and I do not trust anybody.I dont do well in crowds and I need to sit facing the door in all restaurants. I once grabbed some ones arm when they bumped up against me in a crowd. Things happen fast with minimal time to react. We are trained for every situation, all the training in the world doesnt compare to real life.

Just take care out there - this world seems to get scarier with each passing week.

Yes it does and it makes me sad

[StevePerryHair]

I do not walk out of my house every day wondering if Im going to get gunned down. I do watch people differently(I think) than everyone else. I do question everything and I do not trust anybody.I dont do well in crowds and I need to sit facing the door in all restaurants. I once grabbed some ones arm when they bumped up against me in a crowd. Things happen fast with minimal time to react. We are trained for every situation, all the training in the world doesnt compare to real life.

Yep, that's exactly how it is. And when my husband's not even working, he will sit facing doors. I think in a lot of ways it makes you a little more paranoid than the average person. Or smart really. An ambush like this is such a different story than going to a call though, where you have your hand on your gun if something doesn't feel right. I think that's what he doesn't get. We're NOT in a war zone even though the media may portray life that way.

[KDOUBLEU]

I do not walk out of my house every day wondering if Im going to get gunned down. I do watch people differently(I think) than everyone else. I do question everything and I do not trust anybody.I dont do well in crowds and I need to sit facing the door in all restaurants. I once grabbed some ones arm when they bumped up against me in a crowd. Things happen fast with minimal time to react. We are trained for every situation, all the training in the world doesnt compare to real life.

Yep, that's exactly how it is. And when my husband's not even working, he will sit facing doors. I think in a lot of ways it makes you a little more paranoid than the average person. Or smart really. An ambush like this is such a different story than going to a call though, where you have your hand on your gun if something doesn't feel right. I think that's what he doesn't get. We're NOT in a war zone even though the media may portray life that way.

You are exactly right!!

[StoneCold]

I do not walk out of my house every day wondering if Im going to get gunned down. I do watch people differently(I think) than everyone else. I do question everything and I do not trust anybody.

I dont do well in crowds and I need to sit facing the door in all restaurants. I once grabbed some ones arm when they bumped up against me in a crowd. Things happen fast with minimal time to react.

We are trained for every situation, all the training in the world doesnt compare to real life.

The bolded here are what I'm talking about. I think they were distracted by their laptops and their camaraderie in a cafe put them at ease and in danger.

High end laptops have been stolen right from their users in coffee houses 'cause they're not looking up at who's around them.

It may not be popular to point this out but you can bet police will be cautious about these type of distractions.

[StevePerryHair]

I do not walk out of my house every day wondering if Im going to get gunned down. I do watch people differently(I think) than everyone else. I do question everything and I do not trust anybody.

I dont do well in crowds and I need to sit facing the door in all restaurants. I once grabbed some ones arm when they bumped up against me in a crowd. Things happen fast with minimal time to react.

We are trained for every situation, all the training in the world doesnt compare to real life.

The bolded here are what I'm talking about. I think they were distracted by their laptops and their camaraderie in a cafe put them at ease and in danger.

High end laptops have been stolen right from their users in coffee houses 'cause they're not looking up at who's around them.

It may not be popular to point this out but you can bet police will be cautious about these type of distractions.

COPS DO THIS EVERYDAY! When have you EVER heard a story like this??? With all the cops in all the cities, when have you EVER heard a story just like this??? This was a sad situation and one that does not happen often enough to make a judgement like you are. Those other cases you showed are just in the line of duty things that can happen anyday. From what I understand, one of the cops DID shoot the guy, but he got them first. ANY cop can be distracted. They are HUMAN.

[StevePerryHair]

And I would like to say. We should not be asking what should these cops have done differently, because if someone sets out to killl a cop, they WILL kill a cop. But the question that should be disturbing EVERYONE is why this guy, a CAREER crimimal was out of jail to begin with!! Good luck to Huckabee election year!!! Law enforcement does their job and locks these guys up everyday. Just so the system can set them free. Now THAT is sad.

[steveo777]

And I would like to say. We should not be asking what should these cops have done differently, because if someone sets out to killl a cop, they WILL kill a cop. But the question that should be disturbing EVERYONE is why this guy, a CAREER crimimal was out of jail to begin with!! Good luck to Huckabee election year!!! Law enforcement does their job and locks these guys up everyday. Just so the system can set them free. Now THAT is sad.

Very careless and makes me angry. Who is held accountable when one of these thugs who should never had been let out, is, then goes out and kills 4 police officers.....after raping a child? There is a trail of failure here and someone needs to get called on the carpet. Maybe Fuckabee needs to be charged with involuntary manslaughter since his actions indirectly led to those officer's deaths.

[brywool]

shot and killed this SOB a few hours ago. I only heard the tail end of the report, but a copy found a stolen car running- when he went up to investigate, the guy tried to ambush him and the cop shot him. The killer supposedly had one of the 4 officer's gun on him.

This is twice that within a period of days, cop killers have been nailed.

I guess this guy had up to 7 people helping him. Those guys should get some heavy time too.

Regarding Huckabee, he seemed pretty cold about it in everything I saw.

[Its Me]

And I would like to say. We should not be asking what should these cops have done differently, because if someone sets out to killl a cop, they WILL kill a cop. But the question that should be disturbing EVERYONE is why this guy, a CAREER crimimal was out of jail to begin with!! Good luck to Huckabee election year!!! Law enforcement does their job and locks these guys up everyday. Just so the system can set them free. Now THAT is sad.

Well said!!!!!

[Playitloudforme]

shot and killed this SOB a few hours ago. I only heard the tail end of the report, but a copy found a stolen car running- when he went up to investigate, the guy tried to ambush him and the cop shot him. The killer supposedly had one of the 4 officer's gun on him.

This is twice that within a period of days, cop killers have been nailed.

I guess this guy had up to 7 people helping him. Those guys should get some heavy time too.

Regarding Huckabee, he seemed pretty cold about it in everything I saw.

Thank GOD this guy is gone, off the streets, and his helpers will see some jail time too.

[Don]

shot and killed this SOB a few hours ago. I only heard the tail end of the report, but a copy found a stolen car running- when he went up to investigate, the guy tried to ambush him and the cop shot him. The killer supposedly had one of the 4 officer's gun on him.

This is twice that within a period of days, cop killers have been nailed.

I guess this guy had up to 7 people helping him. Those guys should get some heavy time too.

Regarding Huckabee, he seemed pretty cold about it in everything I saw.

Thank GOD this guy is gone, off the streets, and his helpers will see some jail time too.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8388396.stm


A policeman investigating a stolen car on a Seattle street shot dead the man accused of gunning down four police officers at the weekend, US police say.

Maurice Clemmons, aged 37, was killed in Seattle early on Tuesday, said Assistant Police Chief Jim Pugel.

He said the officer recognised Clemmons and told him to stop, before opening fire after the suspect tried to flee.

Four people have been arrested for allegedly helping the suspect elude authorities during the two-day manhunt.

The victims - Sgt Mark Renninger and officers Ronald Owens, Tina Griswold and Greg Richards - were singled out as they did paperwork at a cafe in a suburb of Tacoma, near Seattle, on Sunday morning.

Assistant Police Chief Pugel told a news conference that Clemmons was found by a patrolman who stopped at about 0245 local time on Tuesday to investigate a car reported stolen hours earlier.

He said that while the officer was making inquiries about the vehicle, which was unoccupied with the engine running, he noticed a movement behind him.

He turned to find a man he believed to be Clemmons. The officer ordered the man to stop and show his hands, but the suspect tried to run away, said Assistant Police Chief Pugel.

"He wouldn't stop. The officer fired several rounds," he said, adding that the police officer had not been wounded.

Mr Pugel also said that Clemmons was found to be carrying a handgun taken from one of the dead officers.

He also had a recent gunshot wound in the abdomen, believed to have been inflicted by one of the dying officers who shot at Clemmons as he fled.

Ed Troyer, a spokesman for the Pierce County sheriff, said in addition to the four people arrested on suspicion of helping Clemmons since Sunday, up to seven more could soon be in custody.

"Some are friends, some are acquaintances, some are partners in crime, some are relatives. Now they're all partners in crime," he said, according to the AP news agency.

He also said that police planned to arrest more people who had allegedly helped Clemmons.

Officials are trying to establish what prompted Clemmons to shoot the police officers on Sunday.

Clemmons' behaviour had been described as increasingly erratic in the past few months, AP said.

Mr Troyer told the Tacoma News-Tribune newspaper that the suspect had indicated on Saturday night "that he was going to shoot police and watch the news".

A reward of $125,000 (£76,000) had been offered for information leading to his arrest.

Police in the US state of Washington had been storming potential hiding places of Clemmons and patrolling streets with dogs.

They surrounded a house in a Seattle late on Sunday following a tip that Clemmons was inside.

After an all-night siege, a Swat team entered the home and found it empty. But police said Clemmons had been there.

The case sparked anger across the US after it emerged that Clemmons had been released from prison despite a history of violent crime.

His 95-year sentence in Arkansas was commuted in 2000 by then governor Mike Huckabee.

Clemmons quickly reverted to crime. He was back in prison in 2004, but released again later that year.

On Monday, Mr Huckabee said he took responsibility for making Clemmons eligible for parole, describing the case as a failure of the justice system.

[StoneCold]

Cheers to the cop that took him out. Like Garrido and countless other psychos, Clemmons was running around our streets thanks to ineffectual suits. If I were one of the four cops' family, I'd be on a mission to make sure Huckabee and those involved are held responsible.

Clemmons didn't mince his words while in custody:

After his arrest in May in the assault case he threatened to kill jail staff. The News Tribune reports he said, "I'll kill all you bitches."

This is what being soft on criminals gets us.