'No idea somebody could have bombs in a building'

TUKWILA, Wash. - Reality is beginning to sink in for residents at a Tukwila apartment complex who now know they had been living only feet away from the man suspected of killing a Seattle police officer in cold blood.

The realization is especially chilling to Marlese Ruscoe, who lived in the unit right below Christopher Monfort's with her 10-month-old baby.

She says her emotions overcame her when she found out she had been living only a few feet away from an arsenal of bomb-making materials, weapons and ammo capable of causing tremendous damage.

Christopher Monfort

"I was in tears - I was on the floor crying - I was shaking," she says. "I was terrified. ... I had no idea somebody could have bombs in a building ... literally right by us and right above us."

Ruscoe says she was home when detectives came looking for Monfort on Friday afternoon, after learning that he owned a 1980s Datsun 210 similar to the one used in the deadly shooting of Officer Timothy Brenton on Halloween night.

"So I look out the window and see the police, and they're like with their guns, and I was like huh - I started freaking out," she says.

Ruscoe is glad police arrested a suspect - even though she heard the shots. "It was a really loud bang - like three bangs."

That happened at 3 p.m. Friday, as Officer Brenton's memorial service at KeyArena was coming to a close.

Seattle Assistant Police Chief says Monfort pulled a gun on detectives and pulled the trigger, but it did not go off.

Detectives drew their guns as Monfort ran up the stairs, turned around and pointed his gun at pursuing officers again. At that point, they shot him.

Monfort remains in serious condition in the intensive care unit at Harborview Medical Center, hospital spokeswoman Susan Gregg-Hanson said.

Investigators who later searched his apartment found weapons, a huge stash of ammunition, bomb-making materials and newspaper clippings about an Oct. 22 arson that officers believe he was involved in.

Among the weapons were two long rifles, including a military-style assault rifle, Pugel said at a Saturday afternoon news conference about the case. Components for improvised explosive devices were also found.

"This man, from everything we can tell, appears to be a lone domestic terrorist," Pugel said Saturday. "At this moment, we cannot find any ties to anyone else."

Other residents of Monfort's apartment complex say they still are reeling in disbelief after everything that has happened.

Ita Live, another neighbor, says she didn't know Monfort well, but said he was always friendly.

"I used to meet him on that stairwell - he used to help me with my strollers," she says.

She's torn between knowing there could be two sides to Monfort. She says he was nice to everyone in the neighborhood.

"I was actually praying for him. I hope he does feel better," she says.

In the days since Monfort was captured and shot, investigators have cut out whole sections where their bullets lodged into the exterior wall of Monfort's apartment. And they locked Monfort's door shut.

Timothy Brenton

Meanwhile, miles away in Seattle's Central District, others still visit the memorial for Officer Tim Brenton near 29th Avenue and East Yesler Way.

He was gunned down while seated in a patrol car with rookie officer Britt Sweeney, who also was wounded in the attack. She was able to return fire and call for backup units.

Eric Price was there at the memorial Sunday with his mother.

"I was kind of shocked - you know - sometimes we don't know people," he says.

He knows all all too well the sacrifices police families have to make. Price's dad was the first black lieutenant in Seattle.

"My dad was a cop - knew how hard he had to work."

Pugel said detectives found a piece of evidence at the scene of Officer Brenton's shooting that ties Monfort back to the Oct. 22 arson of four police vehicles, three police cruisers and one mobile command vehicle.

Pugel declined to specify the exact nature of the evidence, but law enforcement sources told KOMO News media partner SEATTLEPI.COM that it was an American flag found near where Brenton was shot.

According to earlier reports, investigators found a note threatening to kill officers and fliers protesting police brutality at the arson scene.

In addition, Pugel said, there have been reports of loud explosions in the area around Monfort's apartment complex in the past three months.

Those blasts may have been experiments by Monfort and may indicate that he planned a larger-scale terrorist action, Pugel said.

He said police still want tips from people in the neighborhood who may have information or recollections about the explosions and where they occurred.

Anyone who might have helpful information about Monfort and his activities is asked to call the department's tip line at 206-233-5000, he said.