MOSCOW, Idaho (AP) — A sniper sprayed dozens of bullets on a courthouse in an attack that left one dead and two wounded, then hid in a nearby church for several hours before police stormed in Sunday and found his body and another man’s inside, police said.
The shooting began late Saturday, fatally wounding one officer and injuring another and a civilian, said David Duke, Moscow’s assistant police chief. Duke said the attack was apparently an ambush, with the gunman firing into the Latah County Courthouse to lure people into his line of fire.
Around 6 a.m., three SWAT teams entered the First Presbyterian Church and found the two bodies on the main floor but not in the same room, Duke said. An automatic assault rifle, ammunition and spent shells were found with one of the men, he said.
The shooter died of what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, Duke said. His body was found in the church sanctuary, and the body of another man was found in the church office. Authorities did not release either man’s name.
Duke identified the slain officer as Lee Newbill, who had served with the Moscow Police Department since March 2001 and was the first city officer ever killed in the line of duty. He had died by the time he arrived at a local hospital, Duke said.
The wounded officer, Latah County Sheriff’s Deputy Brannon Jordon, was in serious condition with multiple gunshot wounds, Duke said.
The shooting began late Saturday, fatally wounding one officer and injuring another and a civilian, said David Duke, Moscow’s assistant police chief. Duke said the attack was apparently an ambush, with the gunman firing into the Latah County Courthouse to lure people into his line of fire.
Around 6 a.m., three SWAT teams entered the First Presbyterian Church and found the two bodies on the main floor but not in the same room, Duke said. An automatic assault rifle, ammunition and spent shells were found with one of the men, he said.
The shooter died of what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, Duke said. His body was found in the church sanctuary, and the body of another man was found in the church office. Authorities did not release either man’s name.
Duke identified the slain officer as Lee Newbill, who had served with the Moscow Police Department since March 2001 and was the first city officer ever killed in the line of duty. He had died by the time he arrived at a local hospital, Duke said.
The wounded officer, Latah County Sheriff’s Deputy Brannon Jordon, was in serious condition with multiple gunshot wounds, Duke said.
