SEATTLE (AP) — A police officer who was shot multiple times in Tacoma while responding to a domestic violence call died Wednesday night, while police worked to arrest a suspect they believed was still barricaded in the home with a gun, authorities said.
Tacoma Police spokeswoman Loretta Cool said the officer was pronounced dead at the hospital Wednesday evening.
“We’ve suffered a great loss and I think the community has suffered a great loss. I don’t know how to put that into words,” Cool said.
The officer’s identity has not been made public.
The body, escorted by a procession of law enforcement officers from around the region, was moved from the hospital to the county medical examiner’s office Wednesday night.
Cool said police responded to the home Wednesday afternoon in the 400 block of East 52nd Street and that shortly after arriving, officers called for backup.
Reacting to shots fired, arriving officers entered the home and managed to get the wounded officer outside and to a hospital, Cool said. She had said the officer had been undergoing surgery before the death was announced.
It wasn’t immediately clear what led up to the shooting.
In a statement, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee said he and his wife Trudi were sending their thoughts and prayers to the family and loved ones of the officer.
“All of Washington grieves with Tacoma, which tonight lost one of their finest. Our hearts are with the men and women of the Tacoma Police Department, their families, and their brothers and sisters in law enforcement across Washington.”
Cool said police believe the suspect remained in the home Wednesday night. She said the neighborhood was locked down while officers from multiple agencies were “working to bring it to a peaceful resolution.”
She also said it’s possible the suspect, who hasn’t been identified, could have left while police were removing the wounded officer from the scene. She said that’s why the large neighborhood perimeter had been set up.
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