Alleged Gunman in California Police Standoff Found Dead
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The standoff between police and an alleged gunman who barricaded himself and his girlfriend inside of a Northern California hotel has ended after police found him dead.
The San Francisco Chronicle reports that the daylong standoff ended Thursday after a special camera sent into the room confirmed 38-year-old Peter James Thomas was dead.
Police won't say how Thomas died but say it wasn't from any law enforcement action.
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San Rafael police spokeswoman Margo Rohrbacher told the Chronicle that Thomas' girlfriend is in the department's care and not under arrest.
Thomas was a suspect in a San Rafael supermarket stabbing when he was confronted by police at the hotel Wednesday. During the standoff, a gunshot was fired out the window of his room, prompting authorities to temporarily close traffic on a nearby highway.
"We're attempting to bring this to a safe resolution," a police spokeswoman told the station Wednesday. "No one has been injured thus far and we hope to keep it that way."
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SWAT officers dressed in military fatigues had been involved.
KTVU.com reported that the man had allegedly removed items from a supermarket Sunday and walked out without paying. He was confronted, and brought back inside the store by employees.
Police told the station that he eventually made a run for it, and was pursued. He allegedly tried to stab one employee, but then stabbed a clerk in the chest. Her injuries were not considered serious, police said.
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Please click here for the entire article from KTVU.com.
The Associated Press contributed to this report