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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Man killed outside governor’s office

The Spokesman-Review

A man carrying a gun and declaring “I am the emperor” was shot and killed Monday outside the offices of Gov. Bill Ritter by a state trooper, a spokesman said. Ritter was in his office but was not injured.

The unidentified man refused orders to drop his gun, spokesman Evan Dreyer said. Four or five shots were heard, but authorities would not say how many times the patrolman fired.

The gunman did not fire his weapon, police spokesman Sonny Jackson said.

Before he was shot by a member of the governor’s security detail, the gunman said, “I am the emperor and I’m here to take over state government,” Dreyer said.

The man initially walked into the vestibule of Ritter’s office and was being escorted out when he produced the gun and refused orders to put it down, Jackson said. The shooting occurred about 2 p.m. in a hall outside the governor’s offices on the first floor of the Capitol.

Investigators did not know the man’s name or his motive, Jackson said.

WASHINGTON

16 detainees leave Guantanamo Bay

Sixteen detainees were transferred out of the U.S. military detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to authorities in Saudi Arabia, Pentagon officials announced Monday, amid discussions within the Bush administration about how to close the facility.

Included in the unusually large group was Bahraini national Jumah al-Dossari, 33, a longtime Guantanamo Bay detainee who had drawn attention for trying to kill himself nearly two dozen times. Dossari, who has family ties to Saudi Arabia, wrote emotional letters to his U.S. civilian lawyer describing agonizing years in U.S. custody.

Monday’s transfer – the largest since 34 detainees left Guantanamo in one week in December – is indicative of the Bush administration’s desire to reduce the prison population there. “Today’s transfer represented a fairly large group. We’re down to 360, so we’re making progress there,” said Navy Cmdr. J.D. Gordon, a Pentagon spokesman.

TOTOWA, N.J.

Ex-officer killed after rampage

A former police officer struck two people with his car in a municipal parking lot, then shot and wounded a Totowa officer who returned fire and killed him Monday night.

After hitting the pedestrians, gunman Peter Riva, 60, led police on a chase and then jumped out of his car, shooting Patrolman John Sole in the shoulder. Sole shot Riva three times.

Both men were taken to St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center in Paterson, where Riva died a short time later. Sole’s injuries were not considered life-threatening.

Riva had been at the municipal complex for a court-related matter. Authorities said that shortly after Riva left the courtroom, he got in his sport utility vehicle and tried to run down his ex-girlfriend and a man in the parking lot.