Just a few weeks ago, the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department was investigating the deadly shooting of four Lakewood Police officers. Tonight, they are dealing with an attack on two of their own: 2 Pierce County deputies shot after answering a domestic-violence call in the Eatonville area. According to what Pierce County spokesperson Det. Ed Troyer just said in a live interview on Channel 7, both are in critical condition, and the person who opened fire on them was killed. For information directly from Pierce County, watch the red-bordered emergency-info box on its website, here. KIRO’s developing story is here; developing coverage from our partners at the Seattle Times is here; ongoing Twitter updates related to the story are here (tagged #eatonville). With the four Lakewood officers killed the Sunday after Thanksgiving, and Seattle Police Officer Tim Brenton – a former West Seattleite – killed on Halloween night, this makes seven eight law-enforcement officers shot in the Puget Sound area in the past seven weeks. 11:52 PM: Tacoma’s News-Tribune is also posting updates – here’s their story, updated a few minutes ago. We’ll be monitoring Web/Twitter over the next few hours and will note any major developments here.

12:08 AM UPDATE: Seattle Times photojournalist Cliff DesPeaux is at Harborview Medical Center, where one of the deputies were airlifted, and reports via Twitter that Seattle PD Deputy Chief Nick Metz reports that deputy “is still fighting.”

12:58 AM UPDATE: The Times has reported that the other deputy, at Madigan Army Medical Center, has spoken with investigators. And Pierce County has identified the suspect who was shot and killed as David Crable. And Cliff DesPeaux has uploaded this video (first streamed live a short while ago) of Pierce County Sheriff Paul Pastor at Harborview, asking people to keep the deputies in their prayers.

1:21 AM: According to seattlepi.com’s Casey McNerthney, the deputy who’s at Madigan is doing better and is now listed in serious condition instead of critical.

ORIGINAL 3:02 AM REPORT: Nothing is confirmed – it’s all scanner traffic [assault with weapons call] – but there are multiple indications this is related to the search for Maurice Clemmons, the suspect in the Pierce County police murders: Someone’s been shot in the 4400 block of South Kenyon, south of Beacon Hill, and there’s a huge police response. We’ll add details as we get them; the citywide media is just revving up on this too. (Thanks to the unidentified person who phoned and suggested we turn the scanner back on!) 3:19 AM UPDATE: Mark Rahner from the Seattle Times (WSB partner) reports on Twitter: “Law enforcement source confirms suspect arrested on 4400 block of S. Kenyon was Maurice Clemmons.” Next tweet: “Clemmons said to have challenged police who approached him and was shot.” 3:23 AM: Seattle Police’s media unit just tweeted: “Possible officer involved shooting in the 4400 block of S Kenyon” and noted that they have two people on the way there. 3:50 AM: KIRO and KOMO have both reported — on Twitter, and KIRO did a brief on-TV break-in — that Clemmons is dead, quoting law-enforcement sources including Pierce County Sheriff’s Department. (Added, KING has just confirmed it too.) 3:57 AM: The Tacoma News-Tribune has background on what he was doing in the area where he was killed. 4:14 AM: The citywide media is in full swing now so we’ll point you there for continuing coverage – seattletimes.com in particular; for the latest via Twitter, here’s everybody posting with the #washooting “hashtag” for related coverage.

5:38 AM UPDATE: Since we’re still up because of the Fauntleroy Way fire – a few more notes about this incident. Police are briefing the media now. Among other things, they say that a gun found on Maurice Clemmons when he was shot and killed this morning was taken from one of the Lakewood officers killed Sunday. 1:30 PM: Here’s the SPDBlotter summary of how it unfolded this morning.

As of this writing, Pierce County police-killing suspect Maurice Clemmons (right) isn’t in custody yet, but there’ve been more than half a dozen searches in Seattle today – as shown in this Google Map assembled by @captaingentry, circulated via Twitter (having listened to scanner activity most of today, we can confirm these are locations where police have been). So far, none of these major searches have been in West Seattle, but it’s vital for everyone citywide to be on the lookout, as he could be anywhere. If you are an instant-info fan like we are, you can watch tagged Twitter traffic by using this link – those whose tweets you’ll see include citywide and neighborhood journalists who are or have been at the various search scenes (and you don’t have to have a Twitter account to use that page). Reminder – the tip line is 866-977-2362, and here’s the link for how to help the murdered officers’ families. 5:57 PM – The family of murdered SPD Officer Tim Brenton has issued a statement expressing sympathy and asking for the same support for those families that they have received. Meantime, a new search location is unfolding right now – in Renton – few details yet.

2:51 AM UPDATE: Until there’s more information, we’ll make a quick note here – there’s been a shooting south of Beacon Hill that may be linked to the case. When something is confirmed, we’ll post a separate update.

ORIGINAL 6:10 PM REPORT: A new development in the search for the man who killed four Lakewood Police officers in a Pierce County coffee shop this morning: Authorities have gone public with the photo at left, saying that 37-year-old Maurice Clemmons is a “person of interest” with whom they want to speak in connection with the deadly ambush. The Seattle Times (WSB partner) has a story about his lengthy criminal history; he is reported to have been in jail until posting bond six days ago, facing charges including child rape. If you have any information about him, the official tip line is 1-866-977-2362. The four murdered officers also have just been identified – here’s the official announcement. The Lakewood Police union’s site has info on how to help their families. 9:00 PM: From left, Officer Tina Griswold, Officer Ronald Owens, Sgt. Mark Renninger, Officer Greg Richards.

9:48 PM: The search for the person of interest has expanded to Seattle – the Leschi neighborhood (which also, you may recall, is the area where SPD Officer Tim Brenton was killed). 12:42 AM: Real-time updates continue courtesy of our fellow independent neighborhood-news service, Central District News, at centraldistrictnews.com. We’re continuing to monitor and will update when there’s something major but otherwise, CD News is where to get the moment-by-moment. 3:10 AM: A briefing at the scene of the Leschi standoff – now in its 7th hour – has yielded new information, including Maurice Clemmons‘ description changing from “person of interest” to “suspect” – this, authorities say, because he was shot. They don’t know if he’s dead or alive. CD News is continuing to add updates to this report. 9:04 AM: He wasn’t there after all. Now the search has moved on to the U-District; here’s the latest from the Times – and the warning to people at the UW is confirmed by a WSB’er who sent us the e-mail alert that went around, saying simply, “Lakeland shooting suspect may be in University area. Police responding. Be alert.” 10 AM: That search is said to have been called off, but there’s another one under way in Beacon Hill.

Not West Seattle news, but so soon after former West Seattleite Officer Timothy Brenton was murdered here in our city … this is the region’s biggest story today, and we’re noting here in case you had not heard: Someone went into a coffee shop in Lakewood, south of Tacoma, around 8:15 this morning, where four police officers — whose marked cars were outside — were working on their laptops, and shot them all dead. KING5 is streaming investigation coverage; our partners at the Seattle Times have just published an update, including a preliminary description from a Pierce County Sheriff’s Department spokesperson; there’s also continuing coverage online at the Tacoma-based News-Tribune site. If any official “be on the lookout” bulletin comes out at some point, we will add it here, since so far there is no word of an arrest. According to KING, this hotline’s been set up for tips: 866-977-2362. 12:46 PM UPDATE: No major new information so far. The officers have been identified only as a Lakewood Police patrol team, 3 men, one woman. Among those who have spoken to the media is Pierce County Sheriff Paul Pastor; a media friend shared with us this link we wanted to pass on: something wrenching and important he published on his website after attending Officer Brenton’s funeral. 1:20 PM: Pierce County’s website is posting its updates in a special box on the home page – here’s the link. 3:24 PM: The Lakewood police union has published a statement that includes information on how to assist the murdered officers’ families.

The verdict’s in for DeShawn “Cash Money” Clark, the teenage pimp linked to a gang called the Westside Street Mobb: Guilty. He’s the first person convicted under King County’s human-trafficking law. Though the gang was said to have originated in West Seattle, Clark’s crimes did not happen here – court documents and testimony focused on a Des Moines Memorial Drive apartment as well as Seattle, Tukwila and Portland hotels. Our partners at the Seattle Times have been covering the case closely; here’s their story on the verdict; a news release from the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office says five other Westside Street Mobb members have pleaded guilty in related cases and are facing prison time – Clark could get up to 26 years.

Less than three weeks after the Halloween night shooting that shook the city and took Officer Timothy Brenton‘s life, his partner Officer Britt Sweeney is telling her story. That video clip is from Wednesday night’s Q13 FOX newscast; Sweeney talked with anchor David Rose during a taping of the station’s “Washington’s Most Wanted” show. She told the station she’s still hoping to get back to work as soon as possible.

(photo we sent to Twitter during the briefing, added here 3:46 pm)
ORIGINAL 3:01 PM REPORT: We’re here with the citywide media as the briefing is about to start at police HQ downtown. NWCN is going to televise live, we hear. Our wireless signal is a little spotty here — briefing room is on the lower level – but we will add important info as we can (via Twitter if this signal drops out). BRIEFING: Field Training Officer Tim Brenton (sp?) and Officer Brit Sweeney (sp?) are those involved. No one in custody. Mayor and acting chief Diaz say no one will rest until the killer/s are caught. (added 4:45 pm – video of acting SPD Chief John Diaz’s entire statement)

(added 4:52 pm — video of Mayor Nickels’ entire 2-minute statement, which opened the briefing)

Assistant chief: “This is an assassination.” Officer who survived is described as having taken the actions of a 10-year veteran. If any info, call 206-233-5000 with tips. CrimeStoppers: 206-343-2020. Tips can be anonymous. Vehicle description is no clearer – still remains either a white-ish light blue potentially silver smallish subcompact or compact, per assistant chief. Don’t know if it’s four door or two door. Detectives are “literally scrubbing the city.” Not sure if it was hit by gunfire or not. Using onboard video of every police car that may have been in the area to see if they can find anything. No description of possible suspect/s that can be shared at this time.

3:37 PM: No date for the memorial yet. A fund will be set up shortly for the officer’s family. CrimeStoppers will offer a $20,000 reward. The slain officer has been with the department about 8 years, transferred from LaConner Police; he is the son of a retired Seattle Police officer and also has family ties to the Seattle Fire Department, as well as two children, ages 8 and 11. No photo of him has been released yet. They are not describing Officer Sweeney’s hometown; several police officers are with her, and Assistant Chief Nick Metz says that while she is devastated, she is being a “true professional” and assisting them as best she can with the investigation. (added 5:39 pm – here is our video of the entirety of his statement)

3:41 PM: The briefing is over. We have video of the mayor and acting chief’s statements and will publish those here when we are back at HQ, for those who would like to see them. Bottom line: The killer or killers are still at large, and the police department will work tirelessly – as Assistant Chief Metz said, it’s a business where you don’t get to close down and take a break after a tragedy – to catch them, but your help is important too, if you see or hear anything you feel may help – the killer/s could be anywhere.

4:53 PM: Officer Brenton’s body has been moved to Bonney Watson Funeral Home, with a ceremonial procession as escort, according to Seattle Police via Twitter. We are almost finished uploading our three video clips from this afternoon’s news conference – the entirety of what Acting SPD Chief Diaz, Mayor Nickels, and Assistant Chief Nick Metz had to say; Assistant Chief Jim Pugel also participated in the briefing.

ADDED 5:58 PM: SPD has issued a news release recapping the main points of the briefing – we have cut and pasted it to include here for those who’d like to read it – it does clarify that there is a $21,000 reward, $1K from CrimeStoppers, $20K from the Seattle Police Guild – read on:Read More

Seattle Police have just released their first official statement about the shooting death of an officer in the Central District late last night — a crime that affects the entire city, as the first such murder in the line of duty in Seattle in 15 years, and one that drew officers (including a contingent from West Seattle’s Southwest Precinct) to the scene, where searching and blockading was followed by a somber procession earlier this morning, escorting the slain officer’s body to the Medical Examiner‘s office. Here is the entirety of the statement just published on SPDBlotter:

On October 31st, shortly after 10:00 p.m., a Field Training Officer (FTO) and his female student officer were parked in their patrol car in the 100 Block of 29th Avenue South. The student officer was seated in the driver’s seat and the FTO was in the passenger seat. A vehicle that has been described as a light-colored sedan pulled up next to the parked patrol car and the suspect(s) fired multiple shots into the patrol car. The Field Training Officer was struck multiple times, killing him. The student officer received minor injuries. She was able to get out of the patrol car, return fire several times to the fleeing suspect vehicle, and call for additional units. Officers from all precincts responded, as well as Homicide and CSI. This investigation is very much active and ongoing, and is a priority for the Department. Information is limited at this time, as it is still early in the investigation. There is a press conference tentatively scheduled for later this afternoon, where we hope to provide additional information.

Central District News, one of our fellow independent community-collaborative online news services, has been on the story all night/morning – they have even more details here, and you can watch here for updates. SUNDAY AFTERNOON UPDATE: SPD will brief media at 3 pm today downtown. The acting chief, an assistant chief, and mayor will be there, according to the alert we received.

This is of citywide magnitude – and West Seattle officers are part of the investigation – so if you have not heard the tragic news, a Seattle Police officer has been shot to death tonight in the Central District, according to the latest from our partners at the Seattle Times. Our fellow community-collaborative independent news source Central District News also is covering it closely. No word yet on an arrest – if there is any information to share regarding vehicle/suspect(s) to watch for, we will add it here. The officer, not yet identified, is the first Seattle PD officer fatally shot in the line of duty in 15 years, since Officer Antonio Terry, and the first to die of any cause in the line of duty in three years, since the crash that killed Officer Joselito Barber. The full list of Washington State law enforcers killed in the line of duty is here. 1:44 AM UPDATE: Journalists at the scene are still awaiting an official statement; on the scanner, police can be heard arranging the procession and honor guard for the slain officer’s body to be escorted to, and into, the Medical Examiner‘s office.