A special “Tip-A-Cop” fundraiser is being held by the Tukwila Police Department this Friday night, Dec. 4th to help raise money for the families of the Lakewood Police Officers killed last Sunday (Nov. 29th).

The fundraiser will be at the Claim Jumper Restaurant (located at 5901 S. 180th Street in Tukwila), beginning at 4pm, and all donations collected between 4-11pm will go to a trust established for the families of fallen Lakewood Police Officers Mark Renninger, Tina Griswold, Greg Richards and Ronnie Owens, who were all shot and killed at a coffee shop in Lakewood this past Sunday.

As we reported on Nov. 29th, Officer Renninger served eight years on the Tukwila Police Department, and was most recently a member of the Lakewood P.D. and S.W.A.T. team. He is survived by his wife and three children.

Officer Mark Renninger

“Tip-A-Cop” is a great, fun fundraiser, where, for a small donation, you can pay to have a friend or family member “arrested” and taken out of the restaurant by uniformed cops. It’s all in fun, for a great cause, and from our own previous experience it provides a lot of laughs as well as a great way to meet and learn about local law enforcement.

Other participants will include Valley SWAT, Tukwila Fire Department and Les Schwab.

Sunday morning (Nov. 29th) four Lakewood Police Officers were shot and killed in a coffee shop when a suspect suddenly opened fire. Once of the victims, Sgt. Mark Renninger, served eight years with the Tukwila Police Department.

Here’s the most recent report:

Sergeant Mark Renninger, Officer Tina Griswold, Officer Greg Richards, and Officer Ronald Owen were shot and killed at a coffee shop in the Lakewood area.

A man entered a coffee shop where the four officers were working on their laptop computers. He stood in line and when he reached the counter he pulled a gun out of his coat and turned and started firing at the four officers. Two officers were hit before they could react, one officer was shot as he attempted to struggle with the gunman, and another officer fired toward the gunman as he fled, and may have hit him. Two employees and other customers were inside the coffee shop, but were not shot or injured. All four officers died at the scene.

Renninger was born and raised in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and served in the military. He was one of six siblings, served on the Tukwila P.D., and was most recently a member of the Lakewood S.W.A.T. team. He is survived by his wife and three children.

Along with Sgt. Renninger, others slain include Officer Tina Griswold, Officer Greg Richards, and Officer Ronald Owen.

Griswold is survived by her husband and two children, Richards by his wife and three children, and Owen by his daughter.

On Sunday, numerous Facebook pages were created in the officers’ honors, including:

• A Facebook page was created in memory of Renninger
• A Facebook page for the four slain officers
• Another Facebook group created for all officers

Maurice Clemmons

The suspect has been identified as Maurice Clemmons, 37, of Tacoma. He apparently has a long criminal record with evidence of violence, erratic behavior as well as potential mental health issues.

We here at The Tukwila Blog (along with all our sister sites) send our condolences to all the families and friends, and hope that justice is served for this heinous crime.

Friday afternoon (Nov. 6th), shortly after Seattle Police Officer Timothy Brenton’s memorial concluded, a suspect named Christopher J. Monfort was shot outside his apartment building in Tukwila, prompting a massive outpouring of police to the area.

Police were apparently serving a search warrant on Monfort, 41, when he pulled out a weapon. He was shot on the scene and is currently under custody at Harborview Medical Center.

Monfort apparently attended Highline Community College in Des Moines, where he ran for student office in 2003.

According to HCC’s “Thunderword” student newspaper dated Nov. 20, 2003 (PDF link to issue), Monfort’s platform was:

“Christopher Monfort said he’s running to make the student body more aware of the civil liberties lost under the Patriot Act and the current political administration (Bush).

Monfort said students should vote for him because he actually cares about the world and wants to make a positive change.”

Monfort also studied law enforcement issues at the University of Washington.

Seattle Police Officer Timothy Brenton was shot and killed as he sat in his patrol car with an officer-trainee after a traffic stop on Capitol Hill on Oct. 31. Thousands of officers from around the country attended a memorial Friday afternoon for him at KeyArena in Seattle.

The King County Sheriff’s Department is asking for the public’s help in finding a white, 1990s-model 4-door BMW 5 Series car (see included reference photos of a similar vehicle) driven by the suspects in a shooting that left an 18 year-old man dead on Wednesday night.

As we previously reported, the incident occurred about 11:30pm on Wednesday, June 24th. The victim was in the back seat of a car that was southbound on Military Road South. Four friends were with him in the car. A second vehicle began following the victim’s car but turned off at South 140th. As it did, several rounds were fired and the man was hit.

The men drove straight to Highline Medical Center in Burien, and the victim collapsed in the entrance to the Emergency Room. He was pronounced dead shortly thereafter.

The dead man is believed to be from California and was in the area visiting relatives.

If anyone recognizes the vehicle or has information on the shooting they are asked to call the King County Sheriff’s Office at (206) 296-3311 (24 hours) or 911.

According to Memphis-based news website Commercial Appeal, police arrested Gary Lipsey, the suspect in the shooting death of Kevin Camacho, 24, at the Spruce Motel last Monday (March 16th).

Lipsey, 28, was arrested at around 11:15pm Friday night by officers who found him hiding in a closet in a home in North Memphis.

Lipsey is now being held and is awaiting extradition on murder charges in Camacho’s homicide.

According to Tukwila police, the victim was acquainted with the gunman and that the shooting was not random.

Apparently cops know the shooter’s identity, and while they’re not releasing his name, they are encouraging him to turn himself in.

The Times goes on to say that the gunman also shot at an eyewitness who confronted him before fleeing in a burgundy sedan. Said witness was not injured, and apparently the suspect remains at large.

Read the full story here.

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Barry L. Saunders was arrested Wed. afternoon in Portland.

The Seattle P-I reports that Barry L. Saunders, the suspect in last Saturday’s deadly shooting at Southcenter Mall, was captured and arrested Wed. afternoon (Nov. 26th), apparently in Portland, Oregon.

Police say that Saunders is the gunman who shot 16-year-old Daiquan L. Jones to death on the first floor of the remodeled shopping center.

Jermaine D. McGowan, 16, was also shot. At last report, he was still in satisfactory condition at Harborview Medical Center.

Full story is here.

Barry L. Sanders, 21, is wanted in connection with the deadly Southcenter shooting Nov. 22nd.

According to KOMO News, the public is being asked to help find the suspect in last weekend’s fatal shooting at Tukwila’s Southcenter Mall.

Mike Murphy of the Tukwila Police said an arrest warrant has been issued for Barry L. Sanders, 21, for the fatal shooting of a teenager as well as the wounding of another on Saturday Nov. 22nd.

Police say that Saunders may still be armed, and anyone who sees, knows him or knows where he is should call 911 immediately.

Tips may also be called in to Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.

We’ve managed to gather several videos related to the shooting:

KOMO News:

KIRO-TV:

KING-TV:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVopz-ATrek[/youtube]

CELL PHONE VIDEO NEAR VICTIM:

TWO YOUNG WOMEN STUCK IN PARKING GARAGE TRAFFIC:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cdoyIvLwhg[/youtube]

KID’S YOUTUBE COMMENTARY VIDEO:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iK6rLs-28u4[/youtube]