UPDATE 3/31/10: According to KING5 News (see video below), King County Sheriff’s Officers tracked down and arrested three suspects from Tuesday’s wild burglary chase in White Center.

Police got a tip that led them to a motel where they found the suspects, a possible getaway vehicle as well as stolen merchandise.

As we reported from the scene Tuesday near the intersection of 18th SW and SW 107th, police had barricaded streets, brought in a K-9 unit and chopper, and were scouring the neighborhood in body armor while carrying some rather intimidating rifles.

Reports are that the burglars were caught red-handed in a house, then challenged by gun and machete-toting homeowners who chased them down.

Here’s KING’s report:

PREVIOUSLY:
Late Tuesday morning (March 30), the King County Sheriff’s Department and Seattle Police had a major show of force near the intersection of 18th Ave SW and SW 107th Streets in White Center, as they searched for two burglar suspects who were trying to rob a nearby home.

According to Sgt. John Urquhart of the Sheriff’s office, three burglars were caught red-handed when homeowners walked in and interrupted a robbery in progress. Two of them fled the scene and one was arrested.

Reports are that one of them may live in the area or may be hiding in a nearby home.

Streets were blocked off, the Sheriff’s “Guardian One” chopper hovered overhead, a K-9 unit was brought in and several police officers were seen carrying M-16 AR-15 rifles as they combed the area searching for the remaining two suspects.

“I was on the phone with my homegirl,” said a bystander named Richard. “…they were driving through with a truck, got stuck in the mud, got out, started waving guns, she called the cops and stuff like that…”

Our own Bart Bryan was on the scene to capture the following video and photos:

Burien native and King County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg announced Thursday (Nov. 12th) that Christopher John Monfort, 41, will face charges of aggravated first-degree murder charges for the killing of Seattle Police Officer Timothy Brenton, along with three counts of attempted first-degree murder for allegedly trying to kill his partner, aiming a gun at police, as well as first-degree arson charges for trying to kill officers by firebombing police vehicles at a city maintenance yard.

Along with that litany of charges, it’s also probable that Satterberg will pursue the death penalty for Monfort, as aggravated first-degree murder of a police officer is punishable by one of two sentences in Washington — life in prison without parole or the death penalty.

As we previously reported, Monfort was shot last Friday (Nov. 6th) outside his Tukwila apartment after being approached by police about his car, which matched a vehicle seen near the scene of Brenton’s death on Halloween night.

Christopher J. Monfort once attended Highline Community College.

After aiming a malfunctioning handgun at police, Monfort was shot on the scene and is still in custody at Harborview Medical Center. It was also revealed by his family today that he is paralyzed from the waist down as a result of the shooting.

According to Seattle Police documents, Monfort’s apartment had a cache of weapons, including bomb-making materials. He is also believed to have “worked alone” in the fatal shooting of Officer Brenton, and has been called a “lone terrorist” in this case. Detectives have recovered DNA evidence from both the arson scene at the city maintenance facility and the scene of Officer Brenton’s murder directly tying him to both incidents.

Detectives also recovered a .223 caliber rifle from Monfort’s apartment, and a ballistics test identified it as the firearm used in Officer Brenton’s murder.

Also recovered from Monfort’s apartment was a considerable amount of bomb-making material and evidence that indicates that the type of explosive devices Monfort was in the process of making or had made were even more lethal than the ones used in the Oct. 22nd arson.

According to police, “he clearly was intending to inflict even more destruction in his next criminal attack.”

Further examination of the explosive devices used in the arson and of the devices found in his apartment indicate that Monfort was also intending to harm first responders to the scene, such as police and fire department personnel.

Monfort once attended Highline Community College in Des Moines, where he became involved in student government and was elected vice president of legislation.

The Oct. 23, 2003, edition of HCC’s student newspaper The Thunderword describes how Monfort ran for student senate and spoke at a candidates’ forum, where he was quoted as saying:

“Too often, too many of us walk around with our head in the clouds.”

According to the article, Monfort:

“…believes he is unique, because he is upset about our current state of government and actually wants to do something about it. … The student body has been cheated and lied to by the Bush Administration,” said Monfort. He plans on putting together a petition to bring our soldiers home.”

Monfort was also quoted as saying: “Our freedom is under attack.“

UPDATE Sat. 11/7/09: The Seattle Police Department released more information Saturday about Christopher J. Monfort, the suspect shot Friday in Tukwila after being approached about his car, a Datsun B-210 that matched a vehicle seen near the scene of Officer Timothy Brenton’s death on Halloween.

He was shot on the scene and is currently in serious condition and in custody at Harborview Medical Center.

According to the latest reports, Monfort’s apartment had a cache of weapons, including bomb-making materials. He is now believed to have “worked alone” in the fatal shooting of Officer Brenton, and is also a suspect in the Oct. 22 firebombing of seven Seattle police vehicles.

Monfort once attended Highline Community College in Des Moines.

Here’s the release:

On the afternoon of November 6^th , 2009, Seattle Police Homicide detectives received a tip about a Datsun 210 matching the description of a possible suspect vehicle used in the slaying of Officer Tim Brenton. Detectives responded to a parking lot in the 13700 block of 56^th Avenue South in Tukwila. While detectives were investigating the scene further an adult male suspect emerged and pointed a gun at them. Detectives fired on the suspect in self defense, striking him at least once. The suspect was taken into custody and transported to Harborview Medical Center with life-threatening injuries. No detectives were injured.

The Tukwila Police Department is handling the crime scene investigation and the King County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit is conducting the officer-involved shooting investigation.

SPD detectives obtained search warrants to further examine the crime scene. Evidence located inside the suspect’s apartment included improvised explosive devices (IEDs), a rifle, and various other items of evidence.  Detectives now believe that this individual is responsible for both the murder of Officer Brenton,  the attempted murder of Officer Sweeney, and the arson attack on October 22^nd at the Charles Street facility. Detectives are asking the Prosecutor’s Office for formal charges. The Datsun that detectives were looking for is registered to the suspect.  Our investigation into the murder of Officer Tim Brenton and attempted murder of Officer Britt Sweeney continues and we are still receiving and following up on tips.  We have received numerous tips from the public and we encourage everyone to continue to call us with any information they may have regarding this investigation.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is urged to call either 911 , or the tipline at (206) 233-5000.  Those wishing to remain annonymous are encouraged to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or send a text to CRIMES (274637).  Your text message should include “TIP486″  to ensure proper routing.  Calls are taken 24 hours a day.

PREVIOUSLY: Friday afternoon (Nov. 6th), shortly after Seattle Police Officer Timothy Brenton’s memorial concluded, a suspect named Christopher J. Monfort was shot outside his apartment building in Tukwila, prompting a massive outpouring of police to the area.

Police were apparently serving a search warrant on Monfort, 41, when he pulled out a weapon. He was shot on the scene and is currently under custody at Harborview Medical Center.

Monfort apparently attended Highline Community College in Des Moines, where he ran for student office in 2003.

According to HCC’s “Thunderword” student newspaper dated Nov. 20, 2003 (PDF link to issue), Monfort’s platform was:

“Christopher Monfort said he’s running to make the student body more aware of the civil liberties lost under the Patriot Act and the current political administration (Bush).

Monfort said students should vote for him because he actually cares about the world and wants to make a positive change.”

Monfort also studied law enforcement issues at the University of Washington.

Seattle Police Officer Timothy Brenton was shot and killed as he sat in his patrol car with an officer-trainee after a traffic stop on Capitol Hill on Oct. 31. Thousands of officers from around the country attended a memorial Friday afternoon for him at KeyArena in Seattle.

According to The Seattle Times, Hollie Beston, 31, of Burien, was arrested along with her ex-husband, Brian Beston, 36, of Kent, for filming themselves raping their 4-year old daughter and sending photos of the abuse to a man in Southern California.

The two were arrested by Seattle Police last week after the FBI learned of the crime from the recipient of the photos, a man facing child-molestation charges in Southern California, said charging documents filed Wednesday in King County Superior Court.

The Times goes to on report that the Bestons have each been charged with:

• First-degree child rape
• First-degree child molestation
• Sexual exploitation of a minor
• Depictions of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct

Both are currently being held at the King County Jail on $500,000 bail each.

Some other amazingly unpleasant facts from this story:

• Police believe the Bestons abused the girl for several months.
• Hollie Beston is also accused of operating the camera and sending the images via a cellphone and the Internet.
• Police apparently searched the Bestons’ homes in Kent and Burien last week and confiscated computers, cameras, flash drives, cellphones and other electronics, court papers said.

The child was taken into custody by state Child Protective Services.

We did our own Google search for “Hollie Beston” and found a profile for her (direct link here), which includes some incredibly ironic statements like:

• “I am a fun loving and caring person.”
• “I have a problem with caring for people too much, which leads to people trying to use me.”
• “It is a lot of fun meeting new people but I am careful because I have a young one to take care of.”

Here’s exact wording from her Google Profile:

Hollie Beston

Medical Assisting ; Student at Kaplan University
Burien, Washington

Interests:
Traveling, astrology, baking some, reading, swimming, going for walks…

I am a fun loving and caring person. I love to goof off and raising my child. I graduate in August but will be done with classes in the middle of march then plan on continuing my education by going for my RN. I have a problem with caring for people too much, which leads to people trying to use me. I enjoy doing a variety of things and have hopes and dreams that will someday come true. It is a lot of fun meeting new people but I am careful because I have a young one to take care of.

Places I’ve lived
Golden Valley, AZ ; Lenoir, NC; Kent and Burien, WA

Read the full Times story here.