Three law enforcement officers in Northern Nevada were shot and wounded after a traffic stop in the Reno area quickly escalated into an hourslong standoff with a suspect. The incident, which took place on Friday, involved two Sparks police officers and a Washoe County sheriff's deputy.
The wounded officers were treated for their injuries and have since been released from the hospital, according to Chris Crawforth, the police chief in Sparks. The violent standoff concluded around 10:30 p.m. on Friday when officers discovered the suspect dead inside a stranger's home where he had been hiding. The identity of the suspect has not been disclosed.
The confrontation began with a traffic stop that turned violent when the driver shot at a Sparks police officer through the vehicle window, injuring the officer in the shoulder. The driver then fled, crashed the vehicle, and attempted to escape on foot, leading law enforcement officers from multiple agencies into a suburban neighborhood east of Reno.
Authorities closed off streets, evacuated homes, and advised residents to shelter in place within a four-square-block perimeter of the neighborhood. As officers approached a house where the suspect had entered, the suspect opened fire on them, injuring the Washoe County deputy and a second Sparks police officer. The suspect continued to evade law enforcement, firing at officers from different locations throughout the standoff.
The situation culminated in the suspect being found dead inside the residence where he had sought refuge. The standoff involved multiple shootouts between the suspect and officers, with the suspect firing at law enforcement on several occasions. Further details regarding the circumstances of the suspect's death have not been disclosed.
