Moscow Idaho Shooting
05.20.07
Officers from the Whitman County Washington Regional SWAT Team stand by with their armored vehicle outside the Moscow, Idaho, Police Department early Sunday, May 20, 2007. (AP Photo/Geoff Crimmins - Moscow Pullman Daily News)
MOSCOW, Idaho - Sgt. Lee Newbill of the Moscow Police Department has died from injuries recieved in a late-night ambush-style shooting attack at a church in Moscow. The bodies of two other people were found inside the church which was surrounded by law enforcement, after several people were wounded in bursts of automatic gunfire from the building.
The incident occurred in Moscow, Idaho. About 75 shots were fired in the attack late last night, said David Duke, Moscow’s assistant police chief. Duke says the attack was apparently an ambush, with the shooter firing into the nearby Latah County Courthouse to lure people into the line of fire.
Tactical officers went into the First Presbyterian Church after a standoff of more than five hours early this morning and found the bodies of two people inside. He says they believe one of those is the shooter.
Newbill was the first officer who arrived at the scene and had died by the time he arrived at a local hospital.
Latah County Sheriff’s Deputy Brannon Jordon was wounded and was in serious condition with multiple gunshot wounds.
A civilian was also injured but his name has not been released. Duke says the civilian was undergoing surgery and in stable condition.
The semi-automatic rifle believed used to shoot the two officers and the civilian was found with one of the dead people, as was some ammunition and spent shells.
Police say they have not determined a motive for the attack. Duke says the shooter appears to have died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.
My heart goes out to the family of the fallen officer. But the media’s workin at blurring the lines between fully automatic and semi-automatic. Unless he was slam firing that SKS, I really doubt it was fully auto.
Update ยป Police Debreifing Conference Video.
The weapon was NOT automatic. It was a semi-automatic SKS, but the shooter reportedly did have a permit to possess fully automatic weapons. The shooter also shot his wife in the head before going to the courthouse and starting the shootings. They estimate that 200 rounds were fired during the shootings. The civilian shot was a senior at the local college (University of Idaho) and had grabbed a .45 hand gun after hearing the gun shots outside his apartment. The shooter gunned him down and then shot him two more times on the ground.
I got all of this information from the local paper, the Post Register. Terrible tragedy! I feel sorry for these people as I went to school in Moscow.
# May 24th, 2007 at 11:42 pmHe was also a card-carrying member of the Aryan Nations.
# May 25th, 2007 at 5:44 ambut you could file the pin down to achieve fully auto but it is extreamly dangerous for the shooter.
# May 26th, 2007 at 2:20 pmand the bonus is the gook who shot up VT gave the libeRats reason to blur the line between semi and auto, and they are already screaming about gun control and how to dis-arm the american public. i say with all the fine gun owners here in the US protecting our rights, they wont never take my gun or anyone elses if we protect ourselves. missouri has stated that they will not repeal C.C.W.!
# May 26th, 2007 at 2:27 pmPrayers for the family of the policeman.
# June 1st, 2007 at 2:10 pmI have heard through friends in the area that the civilian that was wounded (who grabbed his .45 and headed out to help) was watching Die Hard at the time.
# June 11th, 2007 at 10:36 amAny word on if they are going to close down the training facilities Mr. Hamilton received instruction at or the establishments he purchased his firearms at. I hope they don’t close down that explosive shoot that takes place near Orofino, ID. Mr Hamilton is said to have attended that regularly.
# August 11th, 2007 at 5:46 pm