Posted on 08/19/2011 9:37:58 PM PDT by Libloather
San Rafael hotel gunman dead; girlfriend found in other room
By Gary Klien
Marin Independent Journal
Updated: 08/18/2011 10:24:06 PM PDT
An assault suspect who barricaded himself in a San Rafael hotel room was found dead Thursday of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said.
**SNIP**
The standoff began Wednesday morning after police learned the United Markets knifing suspect was staying at the hotel. Thomas barricaded himself in the second-floor room and fired a gunshot out the window toward traffic on Interstate 580.
Authorities briefly shut down the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge, evacuated about 40 hotel guests but not the whole building, and closed Interstate 580 between the bridge and Highway 101 to prevent Thomas from shooting at traffic.
The freeway closure — which continued all day and into the night while police negotiated with Thomas — forced traffic to side streets and gridlocked traffic on San Rafael side streets, Highway 101 and Sir Francis Drake Boulevard.
The highway section was not reopened until 12:40 a.m. Thursday, when police got a large crane and installed a 1-inch-thick metal plate in front of Thomas's window.
(Excerpt) Read more at contracostatimes.com ...
An he’s pouncing like a proud black panther
You should say that I told you so
If you ever saw the midnight rambler
Play it easy, easy as you go
I’m gon’ smash down all your plate glass windows
Put my fist through you steel-plated doors
ping
I'm sitting here waiting for the coffee to brew and wondering if the perp brought the steel plate to the room or ordered from room service.
You sure planted a hook. Where's my coffee?
The cops put up the steel plate.
Crazy story. Why didn’t they get this over with sooner?
Got that. I was lightheartedly mentioning what I initially saw scrolling thru the comments list.
I admitted my coffee deficiency
I’m all better now.
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