CNN
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A suspect was taken into custody Tuesday in connection with an overnight shooting that left three people dead in Washington state, Yakima Police Chief Matt Murray said in a video on Facebook.
Murray said officers responded to a phone call from a family member of the suspected gunman who said they could find him behind some warehouses.
Gunshots were heard when police arrived and a man was hurt, but no officers had fired at the suspect and no officers were injured, according to Murray, who said more information would be released later Tuesday.
The police department had earlier identified the “presumed homicide suspect” as Jarid Haddock, 21, a Yakima County resident, according to a Facebook post.
Road closures in the area Tuesday morning were “related to the early morning homicides,” a police spokesperson said.
SWAT was responding and authorities had drones over the area.
Tabitha Johnson, an employee at a nearby business, told CNN that the area was locked down and that police have surrounded a home near the intersection of University Parkway and West Birchfield Road. Johnson said authorities have been there since before 9:00 a.m. local time.
The area that police have closed off is roughly two miles east of where shots were fired earlier this morning.
Murray told CNN Tuesday that the suspect pulled into the ARCO/ampm gas station and “tried to get into the lobby,” but found the doors were locked.
“He then walked across the street to the Circle K,” Murray said. “As he’s walking into the store he pulls out his gun and there are two people getting food and he shoots them.” Both people died, Murray said.
The suspect then walked out of the store and shot another person, who also died.
Murray said the suspect went back across the street to the ARCO/ampm gas station and shot into a car and drove off.
Police have not said who the car belongs to but believe it could be the suspect’s.
Justin Bumbalogh, who was working at Elite Towing and Recovery, said he was half asleep when he heard gunshots. Police said the shooting occurred around 3:30 a.m. local time.
Bumbalogh said he heard around nine gunshots and remembered a distinct gap between the two series of shots.
Police responded shortly after the gunshots, he said.
“It appears to be a random situation,” Murray said. “There was no apparent conflict between the parties – the male just walked in and started shooting.”
FBI Seattle Field office Steve Bernd told CNN that they are aware of the incident and are in contact with Yakima Police in case they request assistance.
