Gunshot Heard Inside Richland Apartment was Suicide
After a lengthy silent standoff at a Richland apartment complex Tuesday, the Tri-Cities Regional SWAT team entered the unit, only to find a man dead in a bedroom.
According to sources, Benton County Deputies usually serve eviction notices in the county, but for some reason Richland police were doing this one. They arrived at the Riverpointe Apartments at 2550 Duportail. Around 11:20am as they knocked and prepared to notify whomever was inside, they heard a gunshot. Officers, per protocol, retreated to a safe location.
Attempts were made to contact the person inside, the area was cordoned off and Regional SWAT called in. Richland officers had no contact from inside for a lengthy period of time, and finally entered. A robot with camera was sent in via window that officers broke out, and found a man dead in a bedroom. He was alone in the unit at the time. No one else was inside, the man has not been identified, or at least his ID has not yet been released.
According to scanner traffic Tuesday, the SWAT team was calling this a suicide, likely from a single gunshot wound. The investigation continues.