Maurice Clemmons, the only suspect in the killing of four police officers Sunday morning, was shot dead at about 2:45 a.m. Tuesday after a police officer happened upon him during a routine patrol.
Police failed to find Clemmons, 37, after launching a massive two-day manhunt to bring the convicted felon to justice. Police have arrested four other unnamed suspects on charges of helping Clemmons flee the scene of the crime and subsequently avoid capture. But after the search for Clemmons came up fruitless on Monday, an officer on patrol found himself face-to-face with the wanted man in a south Seattle neighborhood.
The unnamed officer, who has been placed on administrative leave while the department conducts a routine investigation into the use of force, found a parked car running with the hood up. He called in the plates and found it had been reported stolen. That’s when he saw Clemmons approaching from behind.
The officer said he recognized Clemmons immediately, ordering him to put his hands up. When Clemmons reached in his pocket and failed to comply, the officer shot him at least twice.
Clemmons had a long history with the law. At 16 he was arrested in Arkansas on a lengthy list of charges that had him convicted at age 17 for 95 years. In 2000, he was granted clemency by then-Governor Mike Huckabee after expressing remorse for his crimes.
Clemmons eventually moved back to Washington, his home state. At the time of his death, Clemmons was out on $190,000 bail for the alleged rape of a 12-year-old girl and assaulting a police officer.
This is not the first time Huckabee’s seeming bent toward leniency on convicted criminals has resulted in tragedy. Another man granted clemency by Huckabee went on to rape and murder a young woman in Missouri. That man’s name was Wayne Dumond. Listen to the ad below which ran against Huckabee during the 2008 Campaign. It features the mother of Carol Sue Shields – the young woman murdered by Dumond: