OAN’s Abril Elfi
9:47 AM – Saturday, April 20, 2024
Seattle police have fatally shot a 67-year-old man who believed he was meeting in a hotel with a seven- and 11-year-old.
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Seattle Police Department (SPD) Chief Adrian Diaz said that the man had arrived at the DoubleTree Suites hotel at around 3:43 p.m. under the impression that he was meeting with two underage girls.
However, the suspect was unaware that several SPD officers from the Washington State Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce were waiting to apprehend the man while they were undercover.
Cases involving child sexual exploitation (CSE) are looked into by the SPD task force. These cases could involve the creation, dissemination, or ownership of resources or service provider networks that are used in the commission of child sex offenses.
According to the recently released footage, the man flashed a gun as soon as the officers opened the door for him. The police then opened fire on the man, killing him after a fight broke out. The police said that the man was later declared dead at the scene.
A bullet from the gunman slightly injured a Seattle policeman’s leg, according to witnesses at the scene.
Diaz continued to note that internet crimes against children are up 67% from 2022 to 2023.
“For our officers, these situations are dangerous, unpredictable, and can escalate rapidly,” Diaz said. “I was running; I could see someone firing a gun,” said Eric Wehrmeister, who was staying at the hotel several doors down. “There was a rapid succession of gunfire. Good thing they were shooting away from my room. You know it could’ve been a lot worse.”
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