Moscow, Idaho Man John Lee Arrested After Police Find 5 Guns Following 4 Person Shooting Spree
A Moscow, Idaho, man is in custody following a shooting spree in which he allegedly shot four people, killing three. Police are investigating the man's motive and have discovered multiple weapons in his possession.
On Friday, Jan. 10, John Lee, 29, allegedly began a shooting spree that led him and police from Moscow to Washington state, according to The Associated Press. Lee was adopted at birth and had recently returned to Moscow after living in the Midwest. The violent ordeal commenced when he shot and killed his adoptive mother, 61-year-old Terri Grzebielski, at her home.
After shooting Grzebielski, Lee reportedly headed to Northwest Mutual life insurance where he shot his landlord, 76-year-old David Trail, and Michael Chin, 39. Trail would late die of his wounds.
Lee's last victim was 47-year-old Belinda Niebuhr, the manager of an Arby's restaurant. Police say, on arriving at the establishment, Lee asked for the manager and then shot her.
"We know he didn't work there," Moscow Police Chief David Duke said about connections between Niebuhr and Lee.
Following the shootings, he fled to Washington where local police identified his black Honda and gave chase. The car chase, which reached speeds of 100 mph, ended when Lee crashed his car after a 25-mile chase. He was arrested by police soon after.
With a search warrant, police searched the suspect's car and discovered two semi-automatic pistols, a revolver, a shotgun, a rifle and a laptop, reports the AP. The police are seeking another warrant to look into the computer's contents. Ballistics testing would tell police, which weapon was used in the crimes.
Reuters reports Idaho police charged Lee with three counts of murder in the first degree, as well as one count of attempted murder in the first degree. He is being held in Washington pending extradition to Idaho.
According to KHQ, Lee will appear in court on Monday as police continue to investigate the man's motive for killing multiple people.
People in the local community are shocked following the killings, reports KXLY. Among those remembered were Niebuhr and Grzebielski. Niebuhr was referred to as "Mom" at the Arby's she managed.
"We lost a mother, we didn't just lose a manager," said Pat Rogers, vice president of operations for Happy Day Restaurants. "They loved her, these kids loved her and I've had a lot of good managers, but she just connected."
Coworkers also remember Grzebielski, who worked at Moscow Family Medicine for many years.
"Our folks are in shock right now, just really not knowing what to do, what to say, there is lots of crying and lots of hugging," said Jeff Geier, CEO of Moscow Family Medicine.
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