Police respond to a report of gunfire at Smith Tower Apartments in downtown Vancouver, Wash., on Thursday, Oct. 3, 2019. Authorities say a man opened fire Thursday in the lobby of the apartment building for seniors, striking several people. (Mark Graves/The Oregonian via AP)
The Associated Press
VANCOUVER, Wash. (AP) - A man opened fire Thursday in the lobby of a building for senior residents, killing a man and wounding two women and then barricading himself inside his apartment before surrendering, police said.
The injuries of the wounded people were critical and they were taken to a hospital, fire department officials said.
The shooter was identified by police Thursday evening as 80-year-old Robert E. Breck, a resident of the 15-story Smith Tower building. Vancouver Police spokeswoman Kim Kapp said he surrendered.
Breck was booked into Clark County Jail on suspicion of murder and attempted murder charges. It wasn’t known if he has a lawyer.
Some parts of the building had been evacuated during the standoff and other residents were told to stay inside their apartments. All were allowed back into their residences Thursday evening, police said.
Kapp said police did not know what led to the shooting or the identities of the people who were shot.
Kapp said the patrol officers who responded were replaced with SWAT team officers who have more tactical training because of the complexity of the situation. During negotiations with the suspect, SWAT officers could be seen standing on balconies on several floors.
“This is a situation where it’s a retirement community, so we have elderly residents as well as an elevator situation,” Kapp said. “We don’t know where the suspect is when you have a multi-story building like that.”
Austin Studebaker said he was buying drinks at a convenience store across the street from the building when he saw “the most cop cars I’ve ever seen in my life swarm in.”
Studebaker said officers were carrying rifles and many were wearing body armor. Then Studebaker saw authorities carry a bleeding person out on a stretcher.
“It’s just weird, and I want to know what’s happening,” he said.
Vancouver Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle said in a statement that “our hearts go out to the victims and their families as they deal with this tragedy.”
Vancouver is a city of about 175,000 people just north of Portland, Oregon.
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Associated Press writer Lisa Baumann contributed to this report from Seattle.
Local law enforcement vehicles line up along Washington Street in downtown Vancouver, Wash., as they work an active shooter situation at Smith Tower Apartments on Thursday, Oct. 3, 2019. A man opened fire Thursday in the lobby of the apartment building for senior citizens, shooting several people and then barricaded himself inside his apartment before surrendering, police said. (Alisha Jucevic/The Columbian via AP)
The Associated Press
Women evacuate from Smith Tower Apartments with the help of law enforcement following an active shooter situation in downtown Vancouver, Wash., on Thursday, Oct. 3, 2019. A man opened fire Thursday in the lobby of the apartment building for senior citizens, shooting several people and then barricaded himself inside his apartment before surrendering, police said. (Amanda Cowan/The Columbian via AP)
The Associated Press
Police respond to a report of gunfire at Smith Tower Apartments in downtown Vancouver, Wash., on Thursday, Oct. 3, 2019. Police say a man suspected of shooting several people in the lobby of the apartment building for the elderly has been taken into custody. (Mark Graves/The Oregonian via AP)
The Associated Press
Police responded to a report of gunfire in the lobby at Smith Tower Apartments in downtown Vancouver, Wash., on Thursday, Oct. 3, 2019. Police say a man suspected of shooting several people at the apartment building for the elderly has been taken into custody. (Mark Graves/The Oregonian via AP)
The Associated Press
Police respond to a report of gunfire at Smith Tower Apartments in downtown Vancouver, Wash., on Thursday, Oct. 3, 2019. A man opened fire Thursday in the lobby of an apartment building for seniors, striking several people, authorities said. (Mark Graves/The Oregonian via AP)
The Associated Press
Police respond to a shooting at an apartment building, top rear, in Vancouver, Wash., Thursday, Oct. 3, 2019. Vancouver police say a resident of the building shot several people in the lobby of the Smith Tower Apartments. (AP Photo/Gillian Flaccus)
The Associated Press
Police respond to a shooting at an apartment building, top rear, in Vancouver, Wash., Thursday, Oct. 3, 2019. Vancouver police say a resident of the building shot several people in the lobby of the Smith Tower Apartments. (AP Photo/Gillian Flaccus)
The Associated Press
Police respond to a shooting at an apartment building, top rear, in Vancouver, Wash., Thursday, Oct. 3, 2019. Vancouver police say a resident of the building shot several people in the lobby of the Smith Tower Apartments. (AP Photo/Gillian Flaccus)
The Associated Press
Police surround Smith Tower after reports of a shooting, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2019 in Vancouver, Wash. A gunman opened fire Thursday in the lobby of an apartment building for senior citizens, in Vancouver, Washington, striking multiple people, authorities said. (Amanda Cowan/The Columbian via AP)
The Associated Press