On the morning of November 29, 2009, Sergeant Mark Joseph Renninger, a 39-year-old Caucasian male, was fatally shot in an ambush at a coffee shop in Parkland, Washington. A veteran of law enforcement with 13 years of service, he was joined by three of his colleagues from the Lakewood Police Department: Officer Tina DeLong-Griswold, Officer Greg Richards, and Officer Ronald Owens.
The four officers were catching up on paperwork before starting their shifts when the tranquil morning was shattered by sudden and unexpected violence.
A lone gunman, later identified as Maurice Clemmons, entered the coffee shop and, without a word, opened fire on the officers. Sergeant Renninger and Officer DeLong-Griswold were killed instantly at their table. A struggle ensued between Clemmons and the other two officers. During the altercation, Officer Owens was also fatally shot. Officer Richards managed to wound Clemmons before being killed as well. The suspect then fled the scene, sparking a massive two-day manhunt that drew national attention.
The intensive search for Maurice Clemmons came to an end in the early morning hours of December 1, 2009, in South Seattle. A lone Seattle police officer, investigating a stolen vehicle, recognized Clemmons. When Clemmons refused to comply with the officer's commands and appeared to reach for a weapon, the officer fatally shot him. It was later discovered that Clemmons was armed with a handgun he had taken from one of the slain officers. The investigation that followed revealed a network of individuals who had aided Clemmons in his attempt to evade capture. Several of his relatives and associates were subsequently arrested and faced charges for rendering criminal assistance, providing him with shelter, money, and medical aid for the gunshot wound he sustained during the initial attack.
