Gunman: 'This is the Way I Want to Die'

DOYLESTOWN (PA) - The suspect in the 10-hour armed standoff in Doylestown Township on Sunday told his family he was ready to die and wanted to take fellow police officers out with him.

Court documents on Monday shed more light on the possible motivation in the mind of Richard Klementovich, who police said held them at bay in his estranged wife's home on Father's Day.

In the documents, Doylestown Township Lt. Matt O’Connor said he spoke with Klementovich’s parents, Richard and Dolores. The couple told police that they had been in text communication with their son as he remained holed up at 25 Bittersweet Drive in the Doylestown Lea neighborhood near the township's jewel, Central Park.

At about 4:35 p.m., Klementovich, 42, allegedly texted to his parents "tell the police I have a surprise for them, this is the way I want to die."

According to the court documents, police also obtained an email from Klementovich’s estranged wife. In the email, Klementovich "apologizes to her for personal shortcomings, advises that he was on steroids, and mentions dying several times."

"I get angry," Klementovich allegedly wrote in the email message. "Angry at this job and law enforcement. And its them who I will take out my anger on."

"They will do the job I couldn’t and take my life," wrote the 18-year veteran police officer. "Not to mention the two rifles ammo magazines scope which prob were over $12,000 I hope whomever comes to our house is ready to die tomorrow because I will be Jill."

The standoff began on Sunday afternoon in the upscale neighborhood of Doylestown Lea off of Wells Road.

Police received a call from Klementovich himself, Doylestown Township Police Chief Dean Logan said at a press briefing on Monday.

When officer Shaun Magee arrived at the home at about 1:58 p.m., he saw a manila envelope lying in the driveway, according to court records.

The envelope was addressed to Doylestown PD, and a paper fastened to it advising that the subject had two scoped rifles, 2,000 rounds of ammunition, that he was law enforcement, and that he was ready to die, the court records said. Klementovich is a police officer with the Clifton, NJ, force.

Magee returned to his vehicle and immediately exited the premises, the records said.

"Officer Magee observed neighbors nearby and advised them to get out of the area," according to the affidavit of probable cause. "At that time, Officer Magee heard numerous gun shots from an unknown location at an unknown target."

A call for more manpower went out to all Bucks County police departments, and fellow officers began converging on Doylestown Township.

Among the first to arrive were Doylestown Borough officers William Doucette and Dave Carlen. When they arrived on the scene, the gunman began firing at them; Magee saw bullets striking Doucette’s vehicle, court records said.

Magee exited his car and took cover. The gunman then began firing at him, according to the affidavit. Several rounds struck his police vehicle as well, court records said.

The bullet-riddled police car still remained in the neighborhood Monday, with colorful probes sticking out of dozens of bullet holes, to indicate the projectiles' trajectory.

Doucette was wounded when a bullet kicked up debris, which struck him, reportedly in the face.

Four officers - Officer Skillman of Buckingham, Officer Lawn of Plumstead, Sgt. Kreuter of Doyleslown Borough, and Cpr. Schmalz of Warminster - used the Bearcat armored personnel carrier to extricate Doucette from the area, court records said. As they approched Doucette, they received rifle fire from the suspect at 25 Bittersweet Drive, they said.

After getting Doucette out, Kreuter and Skillman went back into the scene in the Bearcat, with Officer Dockery of Plumstead Township, and Officer MacMoran of Buckingham Township, and Cpl. Rose of Doylestown Township.

The gunman again fired at them, and "multiple shots" struck the vehicle, court records said.

The gunman continued to fire at the arriving officers. He now faces more than 70 criminal charges, including 13 counts of aggravated assault for firing at 13 police officers: Officer Magee and Cpl. Rose of Doylestown Township, Sgt. Kreuter, Officer Carlen, Cpl. Doucette of Doylestown Borough, Officer Aita of Warrington Township, Officer Skillman and Officer MacMoran of Buckingham Township, Officer Lawn and Officer Dockery of Plumstead Township, Cpl. Schmalz of Warminster Township, Officer Burkhardt of New Britain Township and Officer Kraft of New Britain Borough.

Klementovich was being held Monday on $1 million bail in the Bucks County Prison in Doylestown Township.

Meanwhile, the Clifton Police Department on Monday said it was "shocked and saddened" to learn of Klementrovich's alleged involvement.

He has been on the Clifton force since 1998, they said, and has served with distinction.

"Officer Klementovich, a father of two, was assigned to the Patrol Division for nearly 15 years and was a decorated officer who received numerous commendations throughout his tenure with this agency," the department said in a statement.

Before becoming a police officer, Klementovich served in the U.S. Army Airborne Divison, and is a veteran of the Gulf War.

Sunday's standoff with Klementovich brought back memories of during Hurricane Irene.

As in this case, the shooter was an angry man, well-armed and with military training. That incident, though, ended with the deaths of five people.

Egland killed his estranged wife, her boyfriend and his son in Virginia before driving up to Bucks County where he killed his mother-in-law, Barbara Ruehl, at her home on Church School Road in Buckingham.

After shooting at officers on the Rt. 611 Bypass near Doylestown, Egland led police on a chase down into Warwick, where a Jamison neighborhood was locked down while officers in tactical gear swept the suburban neighborhood searching for him.

He was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound later that afternoon.

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