By Mike Carter and Sara Jean Green
The Seattle Times
SEATTLE — The firebombing of four Seattle police vehicles on Oct. 22 was a failed attempt to kill police officers by the same man now suspected of the ambush-slaying of Officer Timothy Brenton, police officials said Monday.
During a wide-ranging news conference, Seattle police laid out details of the intense, weeklong investigation into Brenton’s killing on Halloween night that ended Friday when detectives shot and wounded Christopher John Monfort outside his Tukwila apartment.
Assistant Police Chief Jim Pugel said a search of Monfort’s apartment has turned up a rifle that is “an identical ballistic match” to the .223-caliber weapon used to kill Brenton and wound rookie officer Britt Sweeney. Police also have matched DNA from Monfort to “signature” items left at the firebombing at a city maintenance yard and at the scene of the shooting an American flag left at the arson scene and a flag-emblazoned bandanna found near Brenton’s patrol car.