Deadly, fiery rampage across Tri-Cities ends with officer shooting in West Richland
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Update: 4 dead, 3 homes burned in hours-long Tri-Cities rampage by gunman
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A violent, fiery rampage that stretched from Finley to West Richland ended with a shootout with police early Wednesday.
Details are still coming in but it’s believe at least one person died in Finley, another was wounded and the suspect was killed in West Richland.
The 43-year-old man suspected of leaving a trail of destruction, including possibly setting fire to a union hall in Kennewick, reportedly died inside a burning pickup truck after exchanging gunfire with officers.
A family member of one of the shooting victims told the Herald that the suspect shot and killed one man and wounded the victim’s adult son where they lived in Finley. Then the house was set on fire, said the relative.
The three men were neighbors and their property shared a driveway, according to Benton County property records.
Benton County coroner officials were called to Finley and to the West Richland area and the Regional Special Investigations Unit, which investigates officer-involved shootings, has been asked to investigate.
The public was being asked to stay away from Van Giesen Street between the 3800 and 4500 blocks. The road was expected to be closed much of the day because of the investigation, said West Richland police and the Benton County Sheriff’s Office in Facebook posts.
“The incident that occurred in West Richland is in connection to numerous arsons and a shooting in the Finley area,” said in an early morning Benton sheriff’s post.
There is no threat to public safety at this time, said the post.
No information had been released by 1 p.m. about the Finley shooting but a coroner official was at that site Wednesday morning.
The wounded man was taken to Trios Southridge Hospital in Kennewick, according to initial reports.
Sheriff’s deputies had East Finley Road closed for much of Wednesday near South Locust Lane while they investigated.
In addition to the two homes on fire in that neighborhood, eight grass fires were reported along Highway 397 starting at 4:11 a.m.
About that time, Benton County sheriff’s deputies were told to watch out for the assault and arson suspect wearing a ballistic helmet and tactical gear, armed with an assault rifle, and driving a Dodge pickup.
At 4:36 a.m., a fire was reported at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local Union 112 building at 114 N. Edison St.
“Sprinklers inside of the building quickly contained the fire after it started,” Kennewick Fire Chief Chad Michael wrote in a tweet.
Initial reports to dispatchers said the “suspect vehicle in the arson is also the suspect vehicle in that callout in Finley.”
The orange pickup truck with a canopy was apparently spotted by Washington State Patrol troopers and officers, who followed the driver as he headed toward West Richland, according to initial reports.
Officers were told to back off and “give him some space,” and he started to slow down on Van Giesen — the main street leading from Richland into West Richland.
He reportedly was swerving and then flames erupted and the truck came to a stop near a car wash.
Officers then reported “shots fired” just before 6:30 a.m.
Dispatchers were told to contact the nearby mobile home to be evacuated.
“Shots fired by me, as well,” said an officer.
By then the truck was engulfed in flames with the man still inside, according to officers at the scene.
Firefighters were kept back for safety reasons and it burned for at least 30 minutes before an armored SWAT vehicle could pull up close and douse some of the flames.
This story was originally published August 25, 2021 at 8:50 AM.
