The couple who shot to death two Las Vegas police officers, a third person and then themselves delivered an ominous message as they left their home before the ambush with a shopping cart of weapons, a neighbor said.
"We gotta do what we gotta do," the husband told Kelly Fielder, adding that he and his wife were leaving for an "underground world."
The wife then embraced the neighbor and said, "I am so sorry."
Fielder said she had heard the couple make anti-government statements in the past — including a desire to overthrow the government and President Obama and kill police officers — but did not think they were serious.
But as the duo left their home on Sunday, they were deadly serious.
They barged into CiCi's Pizza, yelled “This is the start of a revolution!” and started firing, witnesses told police. Authorities said they stripped the dead officers of their weapons and ammunition
The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported that the shooters covered the dead officers with the Revolutionary War-era Gadsden flag, which depicts a coiled snake and the words “Don’t Tread On Me.”
The shooters then sprayed bullets at a nearby Walmart, gunning down a third person, before killing themselves in an apparent suicide pact, authorities said.
“It’s a tragic day,” Sheriff Doug Gillespie told reporters. “But we still have a community to police, and we still have a community to protect. We will be out there doing it with our heads held high, but with an emptiness in our hearts.”
The officers were identified as Alyn Beck, 42, and Igor Soldo, 32. One of the them fired back at the two shooters before succumbing to his injuries, Gillespie said at an afternoon news conference.
“My officers were simply having lunch when the shooting started,” said Gillespie. “I can tell you that they were both family men, and they’re leaving behind loved ones.”
Deputy Sheriff Kevin McMahill told an earlier news conference that one of the shooters, described as a tall white man, yelled "Everyone get out!" before unleashing a hail of bullets in the Walmart.
“They just said, ‘The revolution’s begun,’ they said that they shot some officers, and basically get out of the store if you don’t want to get hurt,” said Tyrone Ellis, who works at the Walmart.
When cops arrived at the store, they found the one casualty at the front entrance, and then exchanged fire with the suspects, who fled further into the store, Gillespie said.
Officers then heard more shots: The shooters had apparently killed themselves, in what officials described as "some kind of suicide pact."
Gillespie said the woman suspect shot the man first, then herself.
The suspects were not immediately identified, and the motive for the entire episode was unclear. Officials stressed that the investigation was in its early stages.
In a statement, Walmart said the store was closed and that it was working with local police.
"We express our deepest condolences to everyone who has been affected by this senseless act of violence," said spokeswoman Brooke Buchanan.
Cici's Pizza also put out a statement saying, "We are deeply saddened by this tragic event and our hearts go out to the families and friends of the officers." They said the store would remained closed until further notice.
First published June 8 2014, 1:49 PM
Source: Top Stories - Google News - http://ift.tt/1l0Htub
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