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US police 'kill shooting suspect' | US police 'kill shooting suspect' |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A policeman investigating a stolen car on a Seattle street shot dead the man accused of gunning down four police officers at the weekend, police say. | |
Maurice Clemmons, 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. | |
Clemmons has been the focus of a huge manhunt since allegedly shooting dead the officers in a cafe near Seattle. | |
The victims - Sgt Mark Renninger and officers Ronald Owens, Tina Griswold and Greg Richards - were singled out in a suburb of Tacoma, on Sunday morning. | |
'Arrests' | |
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. | |
Maurice Clemmons had a history of violent crime, say police | |
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. | |
The officer then fired several rounds at the fleeing suspect, he added. | |
"All indications are that he is deceased," he said, adding that the police officer had not been wounded. | |
A spokesman for the Pierce County Sheriff told Fox News TV on Tuesday that three people accused of helping Clemmons had been arrested. | |
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. | |
On Monday, detectives said the killer had himself been shot and wounded during Sunday's shootings. | |
The case sparked anger across the US after it emerged that Clemmons had been released from prison despite a history of violent crime. | 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. | 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. | On Monday, Mr Huckabee said he took responsibility for making Clemmons eligible for parole, describing the case as a failure of the justice system. |