Police Det Sgt Fredrick Lemons said Major Washington, 33, died yesterday after police were called to a home where he was hiding. Lemons declined to say how Washington died.
Police say Washington broke into the home of his mother, 55-year-old Donna Washington, Monday night, and killed her. He shot a responding police officer in the chest. The officer, Zachary Hoelzer, is hospitalized in serious but stable condition. He is a five-year veteran of the department.
Detectives then received a tip that Washington might be hiding in a different home, and went there shortly before 3 am (local time) yesterday. Lemons said yesterday Washington was barricaded inside alone.
Lemons said Washington was found dead inside the home. The St Louis Post-Dispatch reported that Washington was released from prison in March for a 2011 case that began when he threatened a relative at his mother's home. He pointed a gun at arriving officers and police shot him during that incident. Details of his injuries from that shooting were not available.
Washington pleaded guilty to two counts each of second-degree assault on a law-enforcement officer and armed criminal action and was sentenced to seven years in prison. Washington had convictions in 2003 for drug possession, escape from custody, assault a law-enforcement officer and resisting arrest, the Post-Dispatch reported.