RANDLE, WA – A criminal on the run from the law met a tragic self-inflicted end on Wednesday evening, as reported by the Kent Police Department (KPD). At the time of his death, the suspect was being sought for an attempted murder committed on the 2nd of February.
The 53-year-old man had successfully eluded the authorities until now. Riding on the heels of a trail left by the fugitive, KPD detectives eventually pinpointed his location to the outskirts of Randle, Washington.
The Valley SWAT team was subsequently deployed for a calculated arrest, prepared for an encounter with the man, known to be “armed and dangerous.” However, an unplanned vehicular escape attempt, involving the suspect and a passenger, ensued.
The brief chase, incited by the suspect, led law enforcement officers to a dead end. Here, the police insisted on his surrender. His passenger decided to comply, but the suspect resisted.
As law enforcement approached the suspect, planning his apprehension, they found him unresponsive. An “apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound” was discerned to be the cause.
Despite immediate life-saving attempts, the man’s life could not be salvaged and he was declared deceased at the scene. KPD clarified that no officer discharged a weapon at any point during the situation.
The Lewis County Sherrif’s Office has undertaken the responsibility of independently investigating the suspect’s demise, as reported by KPD.