3 dead in U.S. church standoff
Pastor Dale Morgan
3 dead in U.S. church standoff *
POSTED: 1946 GMT (0346 HKT), May 20, 2007
Story Highlights
• NEW: Shooter apparently died from self-inflicted gunshot wound, police say
• NEW: Deputy shot multiple times after he pulled police officer from
line of fire
• Police say officer, initially reported wounded, died after ambush
• Three SWAT teams entered church, found two bodies on main floor
MOSCOW, Idaho (AP) -- A sniper sprayed dozens of bullets on a courthouse
in an attack that left one dead and two wounded, then hid in a nearby
church for several hours before police stormed in Sunday and found his
body and another man's inside, police said.
The shooting began late Saturday, fatally wounding one officer and
injuring another and a civilian, said David Duke, Moscow's assistant
police chief. 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 6 a.m., three SWAT teams entered the First Presbyterian
Church and found the two bodies on the main floor but not in the same
room, Duke said. An automatic assault rifle, ammunition and spent shells
were found with one of the men, he said.
The shooter died of what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound
to the head, Duke said. His body was found in the church sanctuary, and
the body of another man was found in the church office. Authorities did
not release either man's name.
Duke identified the slain officer as Lee Newbill, who had served with
the Moscow Police Department since March 2001 and was the first city
officer ever killed in the line of duty. He had died by the time he
arrived at a local hospital, Duke said.
The wounded officer, Latah County Sheriff's Deputy Brannon Jordon, was
in serious condition with multiple gunshot wounds, Duke said.
Authorities did not release the name of the injured civilian, but said
he lived in the neighborhood and had gone outside after hearing the
gunshots. The man was undergoing surgery and was in stable condition.
Police said the gunman started shooting from a parking lot across from
the Latah County Courthouse shortly after 11 p.m. Saturday. A hail of
more than 30 bullets ripped through the county's emergency dispatch
center, Duke said. 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," Duke
said. "When officers responded, he did open fire on them."
Newbill was the first officer at the scene of the shooting and was hit
around 11:35 p.m. Saturday. Jordon, a 17-year veteran, was shot shortly
after midnight as he tried to seek cover behind a tree after pulling
Newbill out of the line of fire, Duke said.
The civilian was shot later, Duke said.
"He was just shooting at anybody he could," Duke said.
Four empty magazines were found outside the church. Duke initially
estimated that 75 shots were fired, but later said it was not clear
exactly how many shots the gunman fired.
Officers surrounded the church, which is across the street from the
courthouse and nestled in a residential neighborhood near downtown and
Moscow High School. A final shot was heard from inside the church about
1 a.m. Sunday, Duke said.
Streets in the area had been barricaded and residents had been told to
stay inside their homes. Many residents told news media that they heard
the spray of bullets, and some said they witnessed the shooting of the
officers.
Moscow, a community of about 20,000 people that is home to the
University of Idaho, is located 80 miles south of Spokane, Washington.