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Author Topic: 4 police officers killed in Wash. state Shootings happened at coffee shop south  (Read 19386 times)
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« Reply #40 on: December 08, 2009, 12:31:26 PM »

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/home/index.html



Memorial service for slain officers today

The procession: Begins at 10 a.m. today at the north gate of McChord Air Force Base and proceeds through Lakewood to the Tacoma Dome.
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« Reply #41 on: December 08, 2009, 12:39:54 PM »

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010446829_webshootinghelp07m.html

Judge orders Clemmons' sister held in custody

By Steve Miletich
Seattle Times staff reporter
Complete coverage


TACOMA — A Pierce County judge this afternoon has ordered the sister of Maurice Clemmons to be held until Wednesday so prosecutors can continue to look into allegations that she helped a man who drove her brother to the area where four Lakewood police officers were killed Nov. 29.

Judge Lisa Worswick scheduled a hearing for 1:30 p.m. Wednesday. Prosecutors must decide by then whether to charge LaTanya Clemmons, 34, possibly with rendering criminal assistance.

LaTanya Clemmons was taken into custody Friday afternoon during the arraignment of two other women who allegedly helped Clemmons. She was booked into Pierce County Jail over the weekend, but has not been charged.

Maurice Clemmons fatally shot four Lakewood police officers Nov. 29. He was able to elude police until early Tuesday morning, when he was shot and killed by a Seattle police officer. Sgt. Mark Renninger and officers Ronald Owens, Tina Griswold and Greg Richards were killed by Clemmons as they sat in the Forza Coffee shop.

Police allege LaTanya Clemmons helped her brother escape a manhunt after the shootings and, according to a search warrant, was seen entering one of Clemmons' residences with him hours after the officers were killed.

Pierce County Prosecutor Mark Lindquist said told reporters today that LaTanya Clemmons allegedly helped Darcus Allen, 38, during the two-day manhunt. Allen, who did time with Maurice Clemmons in an Arkansas prison, is being held in custody as a fugitive from Arkansas.

In court, Lindquist said she had helped an individual or individuals after she became aware of the slaying of the police officers.

Prosecutors allege Allen drove Clemmons to and from the scene of the shootings. They say he could face murder charges depending on his level of involvement.

Lindquist said LaTanya Clemmons has not been truthful with investigators since she was taken into custody Friday.

Six relatives and friends of Clemmons have been arrested so far for allegedly helping him elude police.

Two women, Clemmons' aunt Letricia Nelson and Quiana Maylea Williams, 26, were arraigned Friday on charges of providing transportation, medical treatment and medical supplies to Maurice Clemmons, 37, after he killed the four officers.

Nelson was charged with six counts of rendering criminal assistance and one count of illegal possession of a handgun that came from one of the Lakewood officers.



She pleaded not guilty, and bail was set at $1.5 million. If convicted as charged, she could face up to 40 years in prison, according to Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney Mark Lindquist.


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« Reply #42 on: December 08, 2009, 12:41:55 PM »

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010400526_shootinghelp02m.html

Loyal friends, family helped Clemmons flee police
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« Reply #43 on: December 08, 2009, 12:44:58 PM »


He spent time in prison for robbery, burglary and firearms possession. He claimed to be the Messiah, threatened violence and, as his family cried, demanded they all strip. He was facing charges of rape.

And yet even as Maurice Clemmons announced he had gunned down police officers in a Pierce County coffeehouse Sunday, a network of friends and family stood by him, helping him hide from a massive manhunt that had hundreds of officers scouring two counties, according to charging documents.

Tuesday, two men were charged with rendering criminal assistance for allegedly helping Clemmons evade capture during the nearly two days he was on the run.

Another person, who was arrested, allegedly drove the getaway car from the shootings; yet another bandaged the gunshot wound Clemmons sustained when one of the officers in the coffeehouse returned fire, the charges allege.

Three others have been arrested, one man and two women, and authorities say they're likely to file additional charges against those who aided Clemmons in his flight from the worst single act of violence against police in Washington state history.

Clemmons himself didn't live to face charges after he was fatally shot by a Seattle police officer early Tuesday.

To some who knew Clemmons, 37, offering assistance seemed to be almost automatic — a way of protecting a man who, despite a troubled, violent past, had given them help.

"The man was charismatic," said Tim Bean, a Lakewood counselor whom Clemmons consulted last spring. "He had a whole community of family and friends. They loved him."

To outsiders, it makes no sense.

It may have been just a part of a "thug mentality and thug culture," said Pierce County sheriff's spokesman Ed Troyer. "To us, it's not going to make sense."

Troyer said some 50 detectives are working furiously to figure out who, exactly, helped Clemmons evade capture, and to untangle the relationships among them.

Clemmons was 17 when he was convicted of punching a woman and stealing her purse, burglarizing the home of a state trooper and carrying a gun at his high school in Little Rock, Ark.


 
A judge sentenced him to more than 100 years for the crimes, a term Clemmons and his family believed was excessive and would never have been given to a white suspect found guilty of the same crimes, said Bean, whom Clemmons called his "psychological and spiritual adviser."

"His family was well aware of the injustice that had been done to him," Bean said. "It doesn't make the family and friends any friendlier to the system."

His sentence was commuted, and he came to Washington in 2004 with a wife, Nicole Smith.

The Washington Department of Corrections agreed to supervise him, and he did well enough that he was required only to check in once a year.

He started a business and developed a network of friends and family.

"He'd repair their cars, give them cars and help them," Bean said of Clemmons. "He was such a giving, loving man that it was too much sometimes. They'd call him first because he'd always help them out."

But last spring, he began acting bizarrely, family members told police.

In May, he allegedly started throwing rocks at cars and through the windows of his Tacoma home, then assaulted a Pierce County sheriff's deputy who came to stop him.

Out on bail the next day, Clemmons awoke family members in the middle of the night and demanded they all strip, yelling, calling himself the Messiah, and saying "trust me," according to charging documents. A 12-year-old relative told investigators and Smith, Clemmons' wife, that he had sexually assaulted her.

That day, Smith told investigators she was scared.

Yet when Clemmons was charged, she refused to cooperate, saying it was all "a lie," charging documents state.

Over the summer and fall, Clemmons spent some time in jail for violating the terms of his Arkansas parole — in part because of the back-to-back incidents in May.

On Nov. 23, he got out on bail.

Five days later, according to charging papers, he showed guns to three men in Auburn: Rickey Hinton, 47; Douglas Davis, 22; and Eddie Davis, 20, a co-defendant in the earlier rock-throwing altercation.

Clemmons asked Hinton, described as his half-brother, for keys to his white pickup, and told the men they should keep their eyes on the TV because he planned to kill police, according to charging documents and Troyer.

The next morning — Sunday — four Lakewood police officers were killed in a coffee shop in Parkland. Witnesses said they saw the gunman hop in a white pickup that sped off. Another man was at the wheel.

Details in charging documents get a little murky after that. Several unnamed people are alleged to have offered rides and other assistance to Clemmons over the next 40 hours or so.

But the documents are clear on one point: When Clemmons returned to the home Hinton and Davis share after Sunday's shootings, they allegedly didn't hesitate to help him — even after Clemmons told the men he had been shot by police, charging papers allege. Hinton told the Davises, who are brothers, to get Clemmons out of the area, and gave them the keys to a white Pontiac, according to the documents.

Clemmons allegedly told the Davises he had killed police. They kept driving.

They made their way to the Algona/Pacific-area home of one of Clemmons' relatives, according to the charges. There, an unnamed female relative and the Davises helped Clemmons treat his gunshot wound, the charges allege.

Afterward, the relative drove Clemmons to the Auburn SuperMall and then to an apartment complex, where Clemmons got in a car driven by another unnamed woman, according to the charges.

At some point, the papers say, a female friend took Clemmons to her house in Seattle and he admitted he had shot police. She "bought medical supplies, helped treat a gunshot wound to his torso; he changed his clothes, washed and dried a load of [HIS] laundry," according to charging documents. She later dropped him off in Seattle's Leschi neighborhood.

By then, Clemmons was one of the most wanted fugitives in state history.

At least one relative wanted no part in the getaway. Clemmons allegedly phoned an aunt in Leschi, saying he had been shot and needed a place to hide. She thought better of it, drove to the police station before his arrival and filed a report.

The Davis brothers pleaded not guilty Tuesday to the charges of rendering criminal assistance. Bail for Eddie Davis is $700,000; Douglas Davis' bail is $500,000.

The court hearing was attended by relatives of Gregory Richards, one of the four slain officers, including his widow and one of his daughters. Many struggled in vain to hold back their tears.

Afterward, Richards' sister-in-law, Melanie Burwell, said of the defendants, "They're not human to me."

Hinton was ordered to jail on a 72-hour hold while prosecutors prepare to file charges against him. His bail was set at $2 million, and Troyer said authorities believe he may have played "a larger role" in the crime.

Arrested Tuesday but not yet charged was a man The Associated Press identified as a convicted murderer who served prison time with Clemmons in Arkansas. He is being held for investigation of four counts of rendering criminal assistance.

Troyer said police have yet another man in custody who is believed to have driven the getaway car after the slayings. If police determine this man knew what was going to happen, he could be charged with murder, Troyer said.

Two women were also arrested Tuesday, both for investigation of multiple accounts of rendering criminal assistance. One, in her 50s, was taken into custody in Pacific. The other was arrested in Des Moines.

"We want to hold everybody involved accountable," Troyer said.

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« Reply #44 on: December 08, 2009, 01:33:25 PM »

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Memorial service for slain officers today

The procession: Begins at 10 a.m. today at the north gate of McChord Air Force Base and proceeds through Lakewood to the Tacoma Dome.
 
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« Reply #45 on: December 08, 2009, 05:55:15 PM »

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010453457_webmemorial08m.html

Memorial for slain Lakewood police officers begins



Seattle Times staff




With four flag-draped caskets cradled around a stage and nearly 20,000 law enforcement officers watching in silence, a ceremonial honor guard opened the memorial for four slain Lakewood Police officers at the Tacoma Dome about 2 p.m.

Officers from around North America crisply saluted the families — including nine children — of the slain officers as they were seated for a service expected to last more than three hours.

The memorial was proceeded by a procession of 2,000 law enforcement vehicles, red-and-blue lights flashing, that began at 10:05 a.m. crawling along a somber, 10.3-mile route from McChord Air Force Base to the Tacoma Dome.

The procession, which took three-and-a-half hours, was so sprawling that the tail end was still at the base nearly a half-hour after the memorial was scheduled to begin at the Tacoma Dome.

Gov. Chris Gregoire, scheduled to speak at the memorial, called it "the darkest day in the history of law enforcement in Washington."

The service began about an hour later than the planned 1 p.m. start time because of the size of the procession.

The enormous contingent represented more than 300 agencies and thousands of law-enforcement officers, among them an estimated 600 from British Columbia, 100 each from Chicago and New York, and others from Boston, Bozeman, Mont., Salem, Ore., and every corner of Washington state. FBI Director Robert Mueller planned to attend.

One of last vehicles in the procession, from the Delta Police Department near Vancouver, B.C., flew Canadian and U.S. flags side by side.

Lakewood police Sgt. Mark Renninger and Officers Tina Griswold, Gregory Richards and Ronnie Owens were gunned down by Maurice Clemmons on Nov. 29 at a Pierce County coffee shop. It was worst attack on law enforcement in the state's history.

About 19,200 law-enforcement officers were anticipated at today's memorial, making it the biggest such event in state history. About 2,500 additional seats were set aside for the public, on a first-come basis. Others will be watching on live television and at three off-site viewing locations.

Bryan Tearson, assistant chief of Central Pierce Fire and Rescue, said planning for the memorial began at about 10 a.m. Nov. 30, little more than 24 hours after the shooting. He said more 100 police, fire, emergency management and public works staff from around the Puget Sound were involved in planning.

With so many law enforcement and political leaders gathered, there were extensive security preparations, including sweeps of the Tacoma Dome beginning last night. Heavily armed SWAT team members patrolled the perimeter of the arena, while camouflaged snipers were in position on the roof.



After leaving McChord Air Force Base under a bright, sunny sky, the long line of cars stopped at the Lakewood police station, where several hundred people gathered outside in 23-degree cold. A large American flag hung from crossed fire ladders erected by the University Place Fire Department.

"We're here to respect the officers and to show our support," said Everett police Officer Gregory Sutherland, 37, a 15-year veteran who was waiting to join the procession. "There's a real sense of commonality, even with people you don't know. Because of the profession, this is the ultimate sacrifice these guys made."

The procession was joined there by a motorcade of hearses and limousines carrying the fallen officers and their families as well as four Lakewood police cruisers, each with a black band over the front door in the officers' memory.

Hundreds lined a stretch of South Tacoma Way in the punishing cold to observe the funeral procession. Some held flags others held signs, officers saluted as cars passed, some people took photos and videos, some stood with their hands over their hearts and some stood and wept quietly. Officers touched their hands to their car windows as they passed.

Roxanne Clouse, barely able to speak without weeping, said she "wanted to be a part of this, support the ones who are here and let them know they all matter. I'm here to feel the cold for those that can't."

The sight of the four hearses brought home the tragedy for some of the onlookers. Eileen Melberg, who works at a law firm along the route, said seeing the flag-draped coffins made her gasp. "This isn't a picture. This is a person who should still be alive."

At the service, the flags draped over each casket will be presented to their families. The event will be capped by a 21-bell salute.

Josh Warner, a military police officer from Fort Lewis, said he used to have coffee with Renninger and Owens. Owens, he said, responded earlier this year to a domestic-violence call involving a family friend and spent hours helping her fill out paperwork.

"He was the kind of officer who would go above and beyond," Warner said. "They will be missed very much."

Across the street from the McChord gate where the procession began, Jerome Wahl, 33, sat with a table of coffee and cookies for officers and a 4-foot sign reading, "Comfort Design supports the Lakewood Police Department and their families."

"I live in the area; I do all my shopping in Lakewood," said Wahl, service manager for the window and door company across the street. "We appreciate the Police Department in everything they do and we are deeply saddened by this tragedy that happened right here in our back yard."

The memorial, including the procession of cars, was arranged in less than four days.

Seattle Times staff writers Marc Ramirez, Jack Broom, Lynn Thompson, Christine Clarridge, Maureen O'Hagan, Mark Rahner and Jonathan Martin contributed to this report.

 
 
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« Reply #46 on: December 08, 2009, 07:58:22 PM »

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/home/index.html

A tear-filled tribute to slain officers



Seattle Times staff


MIKE SIEGEL / THE SEATTLE TIMES
Police and fire vehicles line-up along 112th Street SW headed to McChord Air Force Base early Tuesday morning for the memorial procession for the four slain Lakewood Police Officers.
Complete coverage




View In Attendance in a larger map
Moving tributes to the four slain Lakewood police officers were delivered by co-workers, friends and their children at today's memorial service the Tacoma Dome.

Austin Richards, the 16-year-old son of Greg Richards, said his father viewed his job as an honor despite the stresses inherent to law-enforcement work.

"He didn't become more hardened or angry, just more thankful," Richards said. "I guess you could say he didn't see the point in anger."

In moments heart-wrenching and funny, Michael Villa described Sgt. Mark Renninger tracking a suspect without the help of a K-9 unit, twice guessing correctly which way the suspect had fled.

"I remember thinking, 'Who is this guy? We don't need a K-9 unit. We have the man tracker on our crew,' " said Villa, now the assistant police chief in Tukwila.

Tina Griswold was described by her friend as being a dedicated mother, good cook and as tough an officer — pound-for-pound — as could be found. "The fastest way to break up a bar fight was to throw Tina in the middle of it," said Pamela Battersby, Griswold's friend.

Ronnie Owens' sister, Ronda LaFrancois, remembered her brother hamming it up in high school, break dancing on the kitchen floor and singing Barry Manilow songs.

"You could never go anywhere with Ronnie without someone knowing who he was," said LaFrancois. Owens, she said, had been looking forward to watching his young daughter's first basketball season.

After a 20-minute video full of snapshots of four officers' childhoods, weddings, family moments and on-the-job events, Gov. Chris Gregoire said the state would honor their memory by continuing to support law enforcement.

"We will remember them today. We will remember them always. We owe these children — all nine of them — a future that is safe and secure," said Gregoire.

The eulogies were delivered on a stage surrounded by four flag-draped caskets and a crowd of nearly 20,000 law-enforcement officers, who watched mostly in silence, except for moments of applause and laughter.

The memorial service began as officers from around North America crisply saluted the families — including the nine children — of the slain officers as they were seated for a service expected to last more than three hours.



The memorial was preceded by a procession of about 2,000 law-enforcement vehicles, red-and-blue lights flashing, that began at 10:05 a.m. It crawled along a somber, 10.3-mile route from McChord Air Force Base to the Tacoma Dome.

The procession, which took three-and-a-half hours, was so sprawling that the tail end was still at the base at 1:30 p.m., a half-hour after the memorial was scheduled to begin. The service began more than an hour later than planned.

Gregoire had called it "the darkest day in the history of law enforcement in Washington."

The enormous contingent represented more than 300 agencies and thousands of law-enforcement officers, among them an estimated 600 from British Columbia, 100 each from Chicago and New York, and others from Boston, Bozeman, Mont., Salem, Ore., and every corner of Washington state. FBI Director Robert Mueller planned to attend.

One of last vehicles in the procession, from the Delta Police Department near Vancouver, B.C., flew Canadian and U.S. flags side by side.

Lakewood police Sgt. Mark Renninger and Officers Tina Griswold, Gregory Richards and Ronnie Owens were gunned down by Maurice Clemmons on Nov. 29 at a Pierce County coffee shop. It was worst attack on law enforcement in the state's history.

About 19,200 law-enforcement officers had been anticipated at today's memorial, making it the biggest such event in state history.

Bryan Tearson, assistant chief of Central Pierce Fire and Rescue, said planning for the memorial began at about 10 a.m. Nov. 30, little more than 24 hours after the shooting. He said more 100 police, fire, emergency-management and public-works staff from around the Puget Sound were involved in planning.

With so many law-enforcement and political leaders gathered, there were extensive security preparations, including sweeps of the Tacoma Dome beginning last night. Heavily armed SWAT team members patrolled the perimeter of the arena, while camouflaged snipers were in position on the roof.

After leaving McChord Air Force Base under a bright, sunny sky, the long line of cars stopped at the Lakewood police station, where several hundred people gathered outside in 23-degree cold. A large American flag hung from crossed fire ladders erected by the University Place Fire Department.

"We're here to respect the officers and to show our support," said Everett police Officer Gregory Sutherland, 37, a 15-year veteran who was waiting to join the procession. "There's a real sense of commonality, even with people you don't know. Because of the profession, this is the ultimate sacrifice these guys made."

The procession was joined there by a motorcade of hearses and limousines carrying the fallen officers and their families as well as four Lakewood police cruisers, each with a black band over the front door in the officers' memory.

Hundreds lined a stretch of South Tacoma Way in the punishing cold to observe the funeral procession. Some held flags others held signs, officers saluted as cars passed, some people took photos and videos, some stood with their hands over their hearts and some stood and wept quietly. Officers touched their hands to their car windows as they passed.

Roxanne Clouse, barely able to speak without weeping, said she "wanted to be a part of this, support the ones who are here and let them know they all matter. I'm here to feel the cold for those that can't."

The sight of the four hearses brought home the tragedy for some of the onlookers. Eileen Melberg, who works at a law firm along the route, said seeing the flag-draped coffins made her gasp. "This isn't a picture. This is a person who should still be alive."

Josh Warner, a military police officer from Fort Lewis, said he used to have coffee with Renninger and Owens. Owens, he said, responded earlier this year to a domestic-violence call involving a family friend and spent hours helping her fill out paperwork.

"He was the kind of officer who would go above and beyond," Warner said. "They will be missed very much."

Across the street from the McChord gate where the procession began, Jerome Wahl, 33, sat with a table of coffee and cookies for officers and a 4-foot sign reading, "Comfort Design supports the Lakewood Police Department and their families."

"I live in the area; I do all my shopping in Lakewood," said Wahl, service manager for the window and door company across the street. "We appreciate the Police Department in everything they do and we are deeply saddened by this tragedy that happened right here in our back yard."

Seattle Times staff writers Marc Ramirez, Jack Broom, Lynn Thompson, Christine Clarridge, Maureen O'Hagan, Mark Rahner and Jonathan Martin contributed to this report.
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« Reply #47 on: December 10, 2009, 02:04:20 PM »

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010468150_shootinghelp10m.html



Maurice Clemmons' sister charged in Lakewood officers case

LaTanya Clemmons, the sister of Maurice Clemmons, was charged Wednesday with helping to hide the man who allegedly drove Clemmons to the area where he killed four Lakewood police officers Nov. 29.

By Steve Miletich and Christine Clarridge
Seattle Times staff reporters

 
LaTanya Clemmons
Related
Read the charging documents (PDF)
'Clemmons Seven'

Five relatives and two friends of Maurice Clemmons have been accused of impeding investigators after he shot four Lakewood police officers on Nov. 29.

Darcus D. Allen, 38. Court papers say he drove Maurice Clemmons to the area where Clemmons killed four Lakewood police officers.

Rickey Hinton, 47. He allegedly led efforts to get Clemmons out of Lakewood area.

Douglas Edward Davis, 22. He allegedly knew of Clemmons' plans to kill police, and helped Clemmons elude police after the shooting.

Eddie Lee Davis, 20. He allegedly knew of Clemmons' plans to kill police, and helped Clemmons elude police after the shooting.

Quiana Maylea Williams, 26. She allegedly treated Clemmons' wounds and drove him, knowing he had killed police.

Letrecia Nelson, 52. She allegedly helped Clemmons, her nephew, because "family's more important."

LaTanya Clemmons, 34. She allegedly paid for a motel room for Allen, and gave him cash for a bus ticket to Arkansas.

Source: Pierce County Prosecutor's Office



TACOMA — The sister of Maurice Clemmons was charged Wednesday with helping to hide the man who allegedly drove Clemmons to the area where he killed four Lakewood police officers Nov. 29.

At a court appearance Wednesday afternoon, LaTanya Clemmons pleaded not guilty to four counts of rendering criminal assistance in the first degree. She was ordered held on $1.5 million bail.

LaTanya Clemmons, 34, who works at Swedish Medical Center and the Muckleshoot Casino, is one of five relatives and a friend of Maurice Clemmons' who have been charged with rendering criminal assistance in the aftermath of the slayings.

The seventh person in custody, Darcus D. Allen, lived with LaTanya Clemmons, according to court documents that don't describe the nature of the relationship.

Referring to the group as the "Clemmons Seven," Pierce County Prosecutor Mark Lindquist told reporters he did not expect any more arrests beyond the seven people accused of impeding investigators.

In charging documents, prosecutors allege LaTanya Clemmons paid for a Federal Way motel room for Allen and gave him bus money to leave the state after she learned he had information about the killing of the officers in a Parkland coffee shop.

Detectives are investigating Allen's role in driving Maurice Clemmons to and from a carwash near the coffee shop at the time of the shootings. In an exchange of gunfire, one officer wounded Clemmons.

Maurice Clemmons, 37, eluded police for nearly two days until he was shot and killed Dec. 1 by a Seattle police officer.

In asking for the high bail for LaTanya Clemmons, Lindquist said she poses a flight risk because, if convicted, she faces up to 20 years in prison. The others charged with helping Maurice Clemmons could be sentenced to between 15 and 40 years in prison.

Allen, 38, was booked into the Pierce County Jail Dec. 1 on suspicion of rendering criminal assistance and as a fugitive from Arkansas, where he has been linked to a March 22 bank robbery in Little Rock. He previously served 14 years for a 1990 double murder in Arkansas, where he did prison time with Maurice Clemmons.

Police say he could face murder charges in the officers' slayings depending on his level of involvement. Allen has told investigators he wasn't aware of what happened after Maurice Clemmons briefly left the carwash.

According to the charging documents, LaTanya Clemmons and Allen went to a house in Algona the day the officers were shot. Earlier that day, Maurice Clemmons had received first aid for the bullet wound at the house before leaving with two other relatives, the documents say.

LaTanya Clemmons and Allen watched news coverage about the slain officers and Allen told those gathered at the home, "we was just there," referring to the murder site, the documents say.

Allen went on to describe how he drove Maurice Clemmons to and from the carwash, prosecutors allege.

While at the Algona home, LaTanya Clemmons said she was going to take Allen to a motel so he could go back to Arkansas and "lay low" until this all "blew over," prosecutors allege. She drove him to a Federal Way motel and paid for a room, then returned to the Algona residence, the documents say.

The next day, she drove to the motel to pay for another night's stay and to give Allen $300 cash for a bus ticket to Arkansas, prosecutors allege.

LaTanya Clemmons was present when Allen was arrested with $297 on him at the motel in the early morning hours of Dec. 1, and when questioned by a detective, she "omitted material information" about the killings of the four officers, the documents say.

LaTanya Clemmons has denied she heard Allen discuss his role while they were at the Algona house, saying she was outside smoking, according to the documents. She said he didn't tell her of his involvement until the next day.

But she also told detectives that on the day the officers were slain, Allen woke her up at their home and that they watched news about the shootings, the documents say. She said she then drove to look at the pickup shown on the news as the getaway vehicle and realized it belonged to her brother.

Seattle Times researcher Miyoko Wolf contributed to this report, which includes information from Times archives.
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« Reply #48 on: December 11, 2009, 04:41:25 PM »

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010482691_apusofficersshotpa4thldwritethru.html

Slain Lakewood officer remembered at Pa. funeral

BETHLEHEM, Pa. —
Mark Renninger grew up 250 paces from the Boys & Girls Club of Bethlehem. When he heard the lawn mower start up, he would come running - and insist on doing the club's lawn himself.

Renninger, one of four police officers gunned down in a Washington state ambush, was remembered Friday as a dedicated volunteer and public servant at a funeral service in his eastern Pennsylvania hometown.

"Very often I would be behind the club or in front of the club cutting grass and ... before I got two swipes done, Mark was there. And he said, 'Gary, let me do that,'" Gary Martell, executive director of the boys and girls club, told hundreds of friends, family members and police officers gathered at Lehigh University's Stabler Arena.

"Mark was a young man of great substance and someone we all knew that worked at the club that Mark was going places and he was going to be something," he said.

Renninger, 39, a police sergeant in Lakewood, Wash., was gunned down with three colleagues inside a coffee shop Nov. 29. The killer, ex-convict Maurice Clemmons, was later shot to death by a Seattle police officer. The slain officers were remembered jointly at a memorial service Tuesday in Tacoma, Wash., attended by 20,000.

A former Army Ranger and nationally known SWAT trainer, Renninger was a "fast-tracker" in the military, rising from private to sergeant first class in just seven years, Army Chief Warrant Officer Mario Contreras told mourners Friday.

"In corporate America, that's like going from the mail room to vice president in seven years," said Contreras, pausing at times to compose himself as he eulogized his friend.

Bethlehem Mayor John Callahan called Renninger a hero and denounced the "cowardly events of 12 days ago" as "not some random act, but an attack on our society itself because its victims were targeted for no reason other than the fact that they were working for the good of all of us."

Roman Catholic Bishop of Allentown John Barres offered prayers for Renninger and soloists sang "Amazing Grace" and "Ave Maria." A slide show, set to Toby Keith's "American Soldier," portrayed Renninger in all his roles: husband, father, military man, police officer, SWAT instructor.

At the conclusion of the service, officers from dozens of police departments across the nation slowly filed past Renninger's flag-draped casket, saluting. Then they joined a procession to nearby Holy Savior Cemetery for the burial.

Renninger leaves behind a wife and three children, as well as his mother, four brothers and a sister. One brother, former Easton, Pa., police officer Matt Renninger, accidentally shot and killed a fellow officer inside the police station in 2005.

On the opposite end of the state Friday, more than 500 mourners filled a Pittsburgh church for the funeral of Penn Hills police officer Michael Crenshaw, who was shot and killed in the line of duty Sunday night.
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Jesus loves the little children, all the children in the world.
Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in his sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world.

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« Reply #49 on: December 12, 2009, 07:03:05 PM »

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010491065_webcoffeeshop12m.html



Parkland coffee shop reopens to hundreds



By Linda Shaw
Seattle Times staff reporter


ELLEN M. BANNER / THE SEATTLE TIMES
Forza Coffee shop, where four Lakewood police officers were killed Nov. 29, reopened this morning at 8:14 a.m. Hundreds of people showed up and waited outside in the cold for over an hour to buy a drink.
PARKLAND — At 8:14 a.m. on the dot today, Forza Coffee shop in Lakewood turned on its open sign for the first time since four officers were killed there two weeks ago.

Lakewood Police Chief Bret Farrar emerged from inside, after purchasing the first cup of coffee, and along with Forza Coffee Company co-founder Brad Carpenter, thanked each and every one of the hundreds of people who braved the cold to help reclaim the coffee shop from the violence that occurred there.

Lakewood Police Sgt. Mark Renninger and Officers Ronald Owens, Tina Griswold and Greg Richards died Nov. 29 after they were ambushed at 8:14 a.m. in the shop by Maurice Clemmons, who was later shot and killed by Seattle police.

This morning, the crowd, which grew throughout the morning, included neighbors, friends, and representatives from law enforcement agencies as far away as Bellingham. Inside the cafe, about a half-dozen Lakewood officers sat at the table where their four colleagues were ambushed by Clemmons.

"We're reclaiming this as a place for the community and for law enforcement," said Lakewood Police Sergeant Mark Eakes.

Chief Farrar said he was overwhelmed by the amount of support, saying it helped bring home why he and his officers choose to work at a dangerous job.

"We're out here to support the community, and the community supports us," he said.

The shop remained largely the same as it was before the shootings. Some of the furniture had been taken for evidence, and replaced, but otherwise the only big change was a large poster honoring the four fallen officers. Plans call for placing a plaque honoring them in all 22 Forza franchises, which are mostly in Pierce County.

Carpenter said Forza staff didn't even start talking about reopening until after the memorial for the four officers last Tuesday, but then, with strong support from Lakewood police and the officers' families, decided to go forward.

"It's our responsibility to honor these guys," he said.
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« Reply #50 on: December 12, 2009, 07:09:09 PM »

http://www.king5.com/news/Coffee-shop-where-officers-were-murdered-to-reopen-79014372.html

by KING5.com Staff and Associated Press
Posted on December 11, 2009 at 6:52 PM
Updated today at 1:20 PM
Related:
Benefits for Lakewood police officers' families
Lakewood officers remembered
Gallery
SEE ALL 3 PHOTOS »
PARKLAND, Wash. – Hundreds of police officers and other customers lined up early Saturday for the reopening of the Washington state coffee shop where four officers were shot and killed two weeks ago.
Bagpipers played as the Forza Coffee shop opened its doors at 8:14 a.m., the hour on Nov. 29 when Maurice Clemmons ambushed Lakewood Police Sgt. Mark Renninger and Officers Ronald Owens, Tina Griswold and Greg Richards.
Lakewood Police Chief Bret Farrar was the first customer. He hugged patrons who turned out to reclaim the shop from tragedy. Some waited up to three hours in line.
"It's just so heartwarming," Farrar said. "It really pounds home the point as to why we do this. It's a dangerous job and bad things happen sometimes, but we're out here to support the community and the community supports us."
One customer, Mathew Kilner, came from Gig Harbor to participate.
"I think it's important to show support for the law enforcement community and for the Lakewood Four. My brother and I came down to grab a cup of hot chocolate and support the Forza Coffee Company and their efforts and what they've done to support these families. We believe it's very important to be here and to show the community that we're not going to be scared away by violence," he said.
On Thursday, a blessing was held at Forza Coffee at 11401 Steele Street South. Performed by Associated Ministries, the blessing was done "to reclaim that space as a place for life," according to the coffee chain.
During a private ceremony in the cafe for the officers' families, Lakewood Police officers and the Forza staff, the decision was made to reopen the store Saturday at 8:14 a.m.
Sgt. Mark Renninger and officers Tina Griswold, Ronald Owens and Greg Richards were ambushed at 8:14 a.m. on Nov. 29.
The suspected killer, Maurice Clemmons, was shot and killed by a Seattle police officer two days later. Seven associates of Clemmons have now been charged with helping him elude police after the shooting.
Donations for the Lakewood Police Independent Guild to benefit the families of the officers can be made by clicking here.
Each of the 21 Forza branches in Washington and one in Colorado will feature plaques honoring the four officers, plus a Seattle officer shot and killed in an unrelated attack Oct. 31, the company said, and every new branch will open on its first day at 8:14 a.m.
The company's chief executive, Brad Carpenter, is a retired police officer and said he was touched by Saturday's turnout.
"The whole community is coming together and really showing us that evil and hate can stay in the darkness," he said. "We're turning on the lights and we're coming back."


GO TO LINK TO SEE MORE PICTURES AND VIDEO
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Jesus loves the little children, all the children in the world.
Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in his sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world.

 Words: C. Her­bert Wool­ston (1856-1927)  Music: George F. Root (1820-1895)
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« Reply #51 on: December 13, 2009, 03:51:12 PM »

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010494733_coffeeshop13m.html

Cafe where Lakewood officers were shot reopens



As 8:14 a.m. approached Saturday outside the coffee shop where four Lakewood police officers died two weeks ago, more than 100 people had already lined up, waiting to infuse the room with hope and love to counter all the pain.

By Linda Shaw
Seattle Times education reporter

As 8:14 a.m. approached Saturday outside the coffee shop where four Lakewood police officers died two weeks ago, more than 100 people had already lined up, waiting to infuse the room with hope and love to counter all the pain.

Lakewood Police Chief Bret Farrar, who had asked to be the first in line, said there really was no choice: Forza Coffee Company on Steele Street had to reopen.

"You can't let the bad guys win," he said.

It was 8:14 a.m. on Nov. 29 when Maurice Clemmons opened fire on Lakewood Police Sgt. Mark Renninger and officers Ron Owens, Tina Griswold and Greg Richards. Clemmons eluded police for two days before he was shot and killed by a Seattle police officer.

One of the first people in line Saturday — aside from a small group that entered early — was Laurie Tenorio, who played on a recreational softball team with Owens. It was the first memorial event she's been able to bring herself to attend.

"I wanted to celebrate Ron's life, and today was it," she said.

At 8:14 a.m. on the dot, the store's neon "open" sign was switched on. The crowd clapped and cheered. Bagpipes played. Chief Farrar, coffee cup in hand, emerged from the store along with Forza Coffee Company Chief Executive Officer Brad Carpenter. They greeted every person in the line, which by then stretched more than a block from the store's front door.

It was so cold that Forza staff handed out free coffee to help people stay warm.

Many police and fire personnel showed up, but so did neighbors and friends, longtime Forza customers, and people who had never been inside the store before.

Carpenter said Forza staff didn't start talking about whether to reopen until after Tuesday's memorial service. With support from Lakewood police and the officers' families, they decided to go forward, in part to keep the officers' memories alive.

"It's our responsibility to honor these guys the way they should be," he said.

Inside the store Saturday, as the staff hustled to serve everyone, about a half-dozen Lakewood police officers sat quietly in the spot where their colleagues were working on laptops when they were ambushed.


 
The table and chairs are new (the furniture the officers used the day of the murder is now in evidence), but the shop otherwise is nearly unchanged — except for a big poster with the four officers' pictures hanging on the wall. Plans call for replacing that with a plaque, with similar ones placed in all 22 Forza Coffee locations. The plaque also will honor Tim Brenton, the Seattle police officer killed on Halloween.

Lakewood Police Sgt. Mark Eakes, who had finished his shift just a few hours before the murders, said he wanted to reclaim Forza for all the coffee shops across the nation that are hubs of their communities — places where people go on dates, meet with friends, sign mortgage papers, even get married.

At 9 a.m., with at least 100 people still in line, Ben Benthien, a chaplain with Central Pierce Fire and Rescue, said many people over the past few weeks approached the store with sadness and fear. He said he told them not to equate the place with the tragedy.

"I kept saying, 'A bad thing happened here, but it's not a bad place,' " he said.

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Jesus loves the little children, all the children in the world.
Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in his sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world.

 Words: C. Her­bert Wool­ston (1856-1927)  Music: George F. Root (1820-1895)
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« Reply #52 on: December 13, 2009, 04:11:20 PM »

I wanted to be able to see this horrible story to the end. I thought I would be around until all the perps were prosecuted and the memorial was done and the horrible hurt had eased. I am not so sure I will be able to see it to the finish. I will do my best to continue posting the news about this to the end, but if I can’t, I hope someone else will take up the cause and see it through here on SM.

I explained my connection to this shooting, and why it has affected me so. I know there are others who feel the same way. I have felt an overwhelming sadness because there are people in the world that would do such a thing to out law enforcement families. Things will never be the same for them. But they still soldier on.

I promised DARLA I would do something this year for our Christmas decorations. I have managed to figure a way to put a blue candle in our window. I will leave it year round. We have sent a special note to our Sheriff’s Department here to let them know how much we appreciate what they do. We will send a tin of cookies to them, and also to our Fire Department. I wish I could do so much more.

I am just one person in our community. I hope a lot more of my neighbors will do the same. I do so remember the years of being within their ranks, and I appreciate them even more now that I am not. I miss them so…  an angelic monkey

Fanny
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Jesus loves the little children, all the children in the world.
Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in his sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world.

 Words: C. Her­bert Wool­ston (1856-1927)  Music: George F. Root (1820-1895)
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