Suspect Dead and Three Officers Injured in Easter Weekend Standoff in Nevada. Elderly Neighbors Left in Shock as Suspect Forced His Way into Their Homes.
What should have been a Good Friday in Sparks, Nevada this past Friday ended up deadly for the small town. Sparks police say that they were trying to initiate a traffic stop just before 2pm when the person driving the vehicle allegedly shot at them hitting one officer in the shoulder.
Chief Crawforth said the suspect fled the scene before crashing into another car at the intersection of Greenbrae Drive and Rock Blvd. The suspect then ditched the car and took off on foot. Shortly thereafter calls came in saying that someone was jumping over fences and running through backyards in the area of the 1400 block of Greenbrae Drive and Prospect Ave. Officers from Sparks Police, Reno Police and Washoe County Sheriff's Office began investigating the area on foot.
The suspect tried to force his way into a home but the residents inside were able to fend him off. According to FOX Reno, when the officers reached the residence, an elderly woman answered and dropped to the floor as the subject started firing from inside the house. A Washoe County deputy was struck and he along with the elderly woman were pulled from the scene.
A second Sparks police officer was struck in the gunfire but was able to remove himself from the scene.
Crawforth said the suspect then left that residence, jumped a fence and entered a different home occupied by another elderly woman. Th female hid from the subject in her home. While the suspect was in the backyard, officers were able to get the elderly resident safely out of her home.
SWAT and a negotiator team showed up and negotiations took place for several hours. On several occasions the subject open fired on the officers outside.
At 10 p.m. on Friday night, entry was made into the residence and the suspect was found dead at the scene.
This had to be incredibly traumatic for the residents in that area especially the elderly women whose homes he forced himself into.
The two Sparks officers and the one Washoe County deputy were treated for their injuries and since released.
The suspect has not been publicly identified at this time.
