Fatal Kennewick Standoff Suspect Identified

The man who refused to surrender to police Monday in Kennewick has been identified.

Early Monday morning, 911 dispatchers received a call from the mother of 36-year-old Roarke Cook, saying she feared for his safety, the safety of others, and that he was armed.

After Richland, Kennewick police and Benton County Sheriff's located him in the Mandarin Apartments on West 9th in Kennewick, he held two women and a 7-year-old boy hostage, before the three were able to jump to safety from a balcony.  Police and sheriffs deputies covered the woman and the boy with their own bodies as Cook fired shots at the officers.

A Richland officer and Benton County Deputy returned fire, and Cook was hit.  According to our news partner, KNDU-TV, a witness reported hearing Cook yell at officers when asked to surrender, "Why? I'm already dying..I'm bleeding."

After getting the women and boy to safety, the SWAT team blew the door of the upstairs apartment using explosives. They sent in the Richland Bomb Squad robot, and saw Cook lying on the floor. After some early initial movement, he stopped.  A flash grenade didn't produce any movement by Cook, then the robot approached Cook and using it's claw, removed his weapon.

Paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene.  Kennewick Police Chief Ken Hohenberg said during the Meet in the Middle Talk show at noon on Newstalk that Cook was repeatedly given every opportunity to surrender and receive medical attention, but he refused.

The Tri City Area Special Investigations Unit (SIU) has begun to examine the case.

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