Folks turn out to offer food, coffee to cops working at scene of police slayings

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By Salim Jiwa

TACOMA, Washington – (Update 6) Crowds of people turned up to offer food, drinks and services to officers working at the scene of the shootings of four of their own on Sunday.

The outpouring of affection was appreciated by police, said a spokesman but urged people to turn their energies towards helping the families of the four officers who were gunned down. All four had children.

On Monday morning, police squads had surrounded a home in Seattle where suspect Maurice Clemmons was holed up. Police said it was possible the convict was wounded during an exchange of fire with one of the officers in the coffee house where the slayings occurred.

One officer was quoted by a reliable source as saying that the suspect could be wounded or even dead.

The shootings Sunday killed veteran officers Mark Renninger,  Ronald Owens, Tina Griswold, and Greg Richards.

They were cut down in cold blood as they sat drinking coffee and worked on their laptops prior to turning up for duty. The shooting occurred at a coffee shop south of Seattle near Tacoma.

In an emotional note to members of the Police Guild, Brian Wurts, president, described the shooter a “complete coward.”

The four police officers were named by Lakewood Police Chief Bret Farrar.

He said it had been a “very difficult notification process,” telling family members that their loved ones who had just left home early Sunday would not be returning. All four had children.

“All four of our slain officers had been with this department since it started five years ago. Sergeant Mark Renninger and Officers Ronald Owens, Tina Griswold, and Greg Richards were police veterans when they started and all have been outstanding professionals,” he said.

“This is a very difficult time for our families and our officers. The families will have many challenges ahead of them and we ask that their privacy be respected. Please keep our families and Lakewood Police in your prayers.”

Mark Renninger

Sergeant Mark Renninger, 39, had been a  law enforcement officer for 13 years. He is survived by a wife and three children.

Ronald Owens

Officer Ronald Owen,  37,  had 12 years of law enforcement experience. He is survived by a former wife and a daughter.

Tina Griswold

Officer Tina Griswold, 40, a 14-year veteran policewoman is survived by her husband and two children.

Greg Richards

Officer Greg Richards,  42, had eight years of experience as a police officer.   He is survived by a wife and three children.
“Those interested in supporting the families of the slain officers are welcome to make a donation through the Lakewood Police Independent Guild (LPIG) Benevolent Fund at PO Box 99579, Lakewood, WA 98499,” the chief said.

A violent man with a record has been identified as a person of interest in the shooting deaths of four officers, a Pierce County Sheriff’s spokesman said late Sunday.

“The Pierce County Sheriff’s Department has identified a person of interest in the November 29, 2009, murder of four Lakewood Police officers,” said Det. Ed Troyer.

“The person of interest is Maurice Clemmons, a 37-year-old black male from the Parkland area of Pierce County. Clemmons is 5’8″ tall, 235 lbs., with black hair, brown eyes, and a mole on his left cheek.

“Clemmons has extensive violent criminal history from Arkansas, including aggravated robbery and theft. He has also recently been arrested and charged in Pierce County for Assault 3rd on a Police Officer and for Rape of a Child,” he said.

“Clemmons should be considered armed and extremely dangerous.  If the public has any information on his whereabouts, call any tips to the Sheriff’s Department tip line at 1-866-977-2362.”

Clemmons was pardoned by then Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, according to reports on Seattle news outlets. Huckabee’s team countered by issuing a statement saying he was let go because of a parole board decision.

As police fanned out to try and nab the suspect, the city of Lakewood, south of Seattle, was plunged into grief over the execution murders.

The shooting deaths were condemned by police officers, city administrators and officer in Canada.

Stunned Lakewood City Mayor Doug Richardson said: “Today we experienced our most tragic event in Lakewood’s fourteen years as a city. We lost four of our finest in a shocking, heartbreaking, and senseless murder. Our hearts, thoughts, and prayers are with the families and colleagues of these innocent victims during this extraordinarily difficult time.”

Detective Ed Troyer said the shooting occurred at 8:15 a.m at Forza’s Coffee shop located at 11401 Steele Street South in Parkland, south of Seattle.

“When deputies arrived, they found four Lakewood Police Officers shot and killed inside the coffee shop,” he said.

“Two baristas and a few customers were inside the coffee shop at the time of the shooting, they were not injured but all are in shock and traumatized. It appears the officers were targeted and ambushed by the suspect,” said Troyer.

The four police officers were all in uniform.

The shooting comes on the heels of the slaying of Seattle Police officer Tim Brenton. In the past 18 months, an unprecedented number of officers have been gunned down in Washington State.

RCMP and other officers from Canada attended  in large numbers to show their solidarity with Seattle Police in their moment of grief at Brenton’s funeral.

And on Sunday, Vancouver Police spokesman Const. Lindsey Houghton expressed his sorrow on behalf of police chief Jim Chu and members of city police.

“It is a tragic event that will have a profound effect on all of our officers,” said Houghton.

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family, co-workers, and community that those officers worked in. When we take our oath of office, swear to protect life and property, and put on our uniform at the start of every shift we accept that there are those in society that may not hold the same belief in the good of man and the right for society to be free of crimes such as murder,” he said.

“Nevertheless, when we hear of incidents such as these it weighs exceptionally heavy on our hearts but strengthens our resolve to do everything we can to ensure these incidents never happen again,” he added.

The shooting of the four officers is being handled by the Pierce Country Sheriff’s Department, with assistance from the Tacoma Police Department, Lakewood Police Department, the Pierce County Department of Emergency Management and the Washington State Patrol Crime Lab.

Mayor Douglas Richardson and City Manager Andrew Neiditz issued a statement saying they were shocked and heart-broken.

“Today we experienced our most tragic event in Lakewood’s fourteen years as a city. We lost four of our finest in a shocking, heartbreaking, and senseless murder. Our hearts, thoughts, and prayers are with the families and colleagues of these innocent victims during this extraordinarily difficult time.”
“The slain officers were all part of Lakewood’s initial police department start-up five years ago. All transferred to Lakewood as commissioned law enforcement officers from other jurisdictions. Their dedication and selfless service contributed immensely toward the successful creation of the Lakewood Police Department. Today we have four fewer officers from our force of one hundred commissioned officers. They will be sorely missed. Support from other law enforcement agencies has been very responsive and deeply appreciated.”

“There will be a large police presence in Pierce County throughout the day as large numbers of law enforcement follow up on leads and tips,” said police.

“The public in urged to stay away from any police activity, and to please call in any tips to the Sheriff’s Department tip line at 1-866-977-2362,” police announced.

A reward of up to $10,000 is being offered for any information that leads to an arrest and charges filed in the murders.

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of the slain officers, as well as their colleagues in the Lakewood Police Department,” said Pierce County executive Pat McCarthy and city council chairman Roger Bush in a joint statement.

“We are grateful for all of the assistance we are receiving from law enforcement professionals throughout the region. Right now, our focus is on this critically important time in the investigation,” the pair of officials said.

Coincidentally, Pierce County Sheriff Paul Pastor’s latest message on his website was about the pain of police officer shootings. He wrote the message after attending the funeral of Seattle Police officer Tim Brenton.

“This past year and a half has seen an uncharacteristically large number of line of duty deaths among law enforcement officers in Washington State.

“We have lost four officers: Deputy Ann Jackson Skagit County: Officer Kristine Marie Fairbanks, United States Forest Service: Deputy Mike Gallagher, Lewis County: and, most recently Officer Timothy Brenton, Seattle Police Department.

“I write these words after returning from Officer Brenton’s funeral in Seattle. I have been to too many law enforcement funerals and they are always large and powerful and tremendously sad. There are grieving colleagues and family members. There is always an honor guard and the playing of Amazing Grace on the bagpipes and taps last of all with a final hand salute. It was the same for Officer Timothy Brenton,” Pastor wrote.

Brian D. Wurts, President of Lakewood Police independent Guild said he felt numb as he wrote the following out:

“This morning a complete coward and threat upon all of society took the lives of four of my Guild members and your sworn protectors in a cold blooded assassination. As I write this I am numb. We were dealt a nasty blow, good men and women I have had the honor of knowing for years are senselessly gone. There is no way to comprehend it, to validate it, or to make sense of any of it. You cannot understand evil like this, as a community we must form a solid bond against criminals and hold them accountable. I know my members and can say with certainty that as a group we will remain professional and will continue to work to protect those of you we have taken an oath to protect. If you know a cop tell them how much you appreciate them, it truly keeps us going.

Please pray for these officers and their families. All of them had significant others and children who are left behind. As a Guild we will do anything we can. If you want to donate to the families our Guild has a benevolent account. Every penny will go to the families; if you want to donate to a specific officer you can write his or her name in the memo section. If the check is made out to LPIG at PO Box 99579 Lakewood, WA 98499. I will personally make sure it goes where it is intended. May God bless you four who are in a place so much better than this; you are some of the finest professionals I have ever known. God bless our community today.”

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Posted by Salim Jiwa on Nov 29 2009. Filed under Featured. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry