The Latest: Authorities ID man at immigration confrontation

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The Latest: Authorities ID man at immigration confrontation

The Associated Press

July 13, 2019 08:08 PM

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Police Officer Sam Lopez turns away would-be protesters in front of a road block near the Northwest Detention Center, Saturday July 13, 2019 in Tacoma, Wash. A man armed with a rifle threw incendiary devices at an immigration jail in Washington state early Saturday morning, then was found dead after four police officers arrived and opened fire, authorities said.


The Seattle Times via AP

Rebekah Welch


TACOMA, Wash.

The Latest on the death of a man who confronted police after he reportedly threw incendiary devices at an immigration jail in Washington state early Saturday morning(all times local):

8 p.m.

The Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the man who threw incendiary devices at an immigration jail in Tacoma as Willem Van Spronsen, 69, of Vashon Island, the Tacoma News-Tribune and the Seattle Times report.

The News-Tribune reports that Van Spronsen was accused of assaulting a police officer during a protest outside the detention center in 2018.

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The newspaper reports that court documents say he lunged at the officer and wrapped his arms around the officer’s neck and shoulders, as the officer was trying to detain a 17-year-old protester June 26, 2018.

According to court documents, police handcuffed Van Spronsen and found that he had a collapsible baton and a folding knife in his pocket.

The News-Tribune reports that Van Spronsen pleaded guilty to the charge of obstructing police, and was given a deferred sentence in October.

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6:56 p.m.

A man armed with a rifle threw incendiary devices at an immigration jail in Washington state early Saturday morning, then was found dead after four police officers arrived and opened fire, authorities said.

The Tacoma Police Department said the officers responded at about 4 a.m. to the privately run Tacoma Northwest Detention Center, a U.S. Department of Homeland Security detention facility that holds migrants pending deportation proceedings. The detention center has also held immigration-seeking parents separated from their children under President Donald Trump’s “zero tolerance” policy, an effort meant to deter illegal immigration.

The shooting took place about six hours after a peaceful rally in front of the detention center, police spokesman Loretta Cool said. She said another rally was planned for later Saturday, but it would have to be held in a different area because of the investigation into the police shooting.

Police said the man caused a vehicle to catch fire and that he attempted to ignite a large propane tank and set buildings on fire. Police said that besides the rifle, he had a satchel and flares.

Police said officers called out to the man, and shots were fired.

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