Three people were killed in a shooting at a convenience store in central Washington state early Tuesday, police said, and the suspect has died after an hours-long manhunt. Police were called to a Circle K in Yakima, Washington, about 3:30 am when three people, who have not been identified, were found dead, Chief Matt Murray told reporters.
Two victims were shot inside the store in what authorities said appeared to be a random act of violence, and a third was shot outside."It appears to be a random situation. There was no apparent conflict between the parties," Murray said. "The male just walked in and started shooting."After opening fire in the store, the suspect, identified as Jarid Haddock, 21, ran across the street and fired into a vehicle, forcing the driver to move to the passenger seat. The suspect stole the car and fled, police said.
Following an hours-long manhunt, a relative of Haddock called authorities to a location behind warehouses where Haddock was hiding. Gunshots were heard while police approached and a man who identified himself as Haddock was found wounded, Murray said. No officers were injured or used any force, he added. Haddock died of his injuries at the scene.
Haddock appeared to have little criminal history
He was arrested in March 2020 after police saw him in a car that had been stolen from a woman who had left it running; he ran from officers who pulled him over, according to charging documents filed in Yakima County Superior Court, and he reported being homeless.
He successfully completed a diversion programme, despite twice violating its terms by using methamphetamine or heroin, and the charges were dismissed in December 2021.
At Yakima Riverside Storage, across the street from the home surrounded by police, receptionist Tabitha Johnson said she was taking the unusual precaution of locking the doors, which she can monitor through windows and security cameras. It's quite scary, but Yakima isn't new to shootings, the 39-year-old said.
Woman called 911 after letting killer borrow phone, says police
Police located the suspect in the random killing of three people at a convenience store in Yakima, Washington, after he borrowed a stranger's cell phone to call his mother and confess to what he had done, authorities said Tuesday.
The suspect shot and killed himself behind some warehouses as officers approached, said Yakima Police Chief Matt Murray. No officers used force and none was injured, he added.
Police had surrounded Jarid Haddock's family home after Tuesday's pre-dawn killings, but he wasn't there, Murray said at a news conference.
Instead, the 21-year-old had gone to the area of a Target store in the city, where he borrowed a woman's phone and called his mother. The woman overheard the conversation, which included incriminating statements such as I killed those people, as well as the man's threats to kill himself, according to Murray. The woman then managed to get her phone back, separated herself from Haddock and called 911 to report his whereabouts, Murray said. I listened to that call it's pretty harrowing, Murray said.
I have to really thank her again because she was very courageous in getting us there.
He added that investigators still had no idea what prompted the shootings.
