The suspect who barricaded himself in his Kent apartment for hours, even firing shots at officers at one point, is dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
It happened on the 200 block of West James Street, right across from the Kent Station shopping center.
From up above in Chopper 7, you can see the SWAT response. Kent police say it began when officers spotted the man in his 50s who Seattle police identified as a suspect in a felony investigation.
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“The bulletin had made claims he was a violent offender and had made statements that he was not going to go peacefully if contacted by police,” Kent Police Assistant Chief Jarod Kasner.
Kasner said officers tried to make contact, but the suspect ran inside his apartment.
Because of the nature of the bulletin, Kent Police Department called the Valley swat team to help negotiate and take him into custody.
“When a noise distraction device was used to gain attention and try to get him to engage us verbally, shots were fired from inside the apartment outside the apartment at officers,” Kasner explained.
Kasner said officers did not return fire. And no one was hurt.
Negotiations continued but with no response. When officers finally entered, they found the suspect dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
KIRO 7 asked Kasner for more information about the suspect and what he was wanted for.
“Seattle police department was doing a felony investigation of a violent crime. And so that's where we got our information. And the probable cause and there's a warrant also in the system for his arrest,” Kasner added.
KIRO 7 reached out to SPD, but they say any information at this point will have to come from Kent police.
KIRO 7 also spoke to some businesses at Kent Station that shut down for a couple of hours -- for safety reasons.
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