Sniper ‘lured’ people into line of fire
The shooting began late on Saturday, fatally wounding one officer and injuring another and a civilian, said David Duke, Moscow’s assistant police chief. Mr Duke said the attack was apparently an ambush, with the gunman firing into the Latah County Courthouse to lure people into his line of fire.
Shortly after 6am, three SWAT teams entered the First Presbyterian Church and found the bodies on the main floor but not in the same room, said Mr Duke. An automatic assault rifle, ammunition and spent shells were found with one man, he said.
The shooter died of what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, said Mr Duke. His body was found in the church sanctuary, and the other body was found in the church office. Authorities did not release either man’s name.
Mr Duke identified the slain officer as Lee Newbill, who had served with the Moscow Police Department since 2001 and was the first city officer killed in the line of duty. He had died by the time he arrived at hospital.
Meanwhile, Latah County Sheriff’s Deputy Brannon Jordon is in serious condition with multiple gun wounds, said Mr Duke.
Authorities did not release the name of the injured civilian, but said he lived in the neighbourhood and had gone outside after hearing the gunshots. He was in stable condition.
Police said the gunman started shooting from a parking lot across from the Latah County Courthouse at 11pm on Saturday. More than 30 bullets ripped through the county’s emergency dispatch centre, said Mr Duke. Dispatchers were moved to a room in the jail area of the courthouse. Officers rushed out of the building.
“Whoever the shooter is wanted to draw people to the courthouse,” said Mr Duke. “When officers responded, he did open fire on them.
“He was just shooting at anybody he could.”
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