WSP Trooper Killed: EOW 2/23/2012

[Rhino]

This is just a sad day here in WA. Still waiting on word of who it was that was shot. Thoughts and prayers are with the family:

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Stat...140122663.html

GORST, Wash. -- Multiple law enforcement agencies are conducting a massive search for the suspect who shot and killed a Washington State Patrol trooper dearly Thursday morning during a traffic stop just outside the Kitsap County town of Gorst.

“It’s a bad day," said Washington State Patrol Chief John Batiste during an early morning news conference. "It’s a terrible thing to receive a phone call that lets you know that one of your people have been injured in the line of duty. To have that compounded by the loss of that trooper, it’s a bad day.”

WSP said it will not release the identity of the trooper until all his family members have been notified, but Batiste did say the trooper was 44 years old and had been with WSP for 16 years. The fallen trooper had also served in the military.

“It’s a sad day for the people of the State of Washington, for they have lost a humble servant,” said Batiste.

WSP spokesman Monte Simpson said the shooting occured along Highway 16, about 10 miles southwest of Bremerton, around 1 a.m. Simpson said the trooper stopped a dark green Ford F-350 and radioed in its license number.

When the trooper didn't check back with headquarters after several minutes, another officer was sent to the scene where he found the wounded trooper.

"He got here at 1:14 a.m. - four minutes later - to find the injured trooper next to his vehicle," said Trooper Ken Dickinson. "He immediately called for medical help."

The officer was rushed to St. Joseph's Hospital in Tacoma where he later died.

A massive search was launched involving law enforcement agencies from around the region. Within hours, officers found the dark green Ford F-350 involved in the incident; the truck was abandoned in the Port Orchard area, a few miles away from the shooting location. The suspect, however, remains at large.

"It was down a long country driveway, so it was kind of obvious it was ditched back there," said Trooper Russ Winger. "You had to drive down there with some intent -- not a real reason to go down there."

Troopers traced the owner of the vehicle and are searching for that person, but they are not calling the owner of the truck a suspect at this point.

A white sedan was also seen being impounded by police at the same scene where the truck was recovered, but no information was available on why.

Officers with police dogs are sweeping the Port Orchard area, knocking on doors to make sure people living in the area are safe. Residents are asked to call police if they spot anything suspicious.

Winger said many of the troopers engaged in the search knew the trooper well.

"It's difficult. He was a personal friend of mine, a personal co-worker, he worked closely with me...I've know this person for 14-15 years," Winger said. "I've been too busy to really think about the tragedy of it right now. It's going to sink in later."

Batiste said the trooper was well-known and loved in the community. In a sign of how his death is impacting the law enforcement community, a motorcade of vehicles from agencies around the region escorted the trooper's body as it was transported from St. Joseph's Hospital to the medical examiner's office Thursday morning.

“He was a father and a peer to many of us who was dearly loved. An individual with a great personality. Served his country in the military and has been with this organization for about 16 years,” said Batiste.

Batiste said this is the 27th WSP trooper killed in the line of duty since 1929.

[NoDrama43]

coward suspect killed himself.

a perfect ending to a horrible situation.

RIP Trooper Tony Radulescu.