Oregon Public Broadcasting

A massive manhunt is under way in the Puget Sound area for Maurice Clemmons.

Clemmons is suspected in the shooting deaths of four Lakewood police officers Sunday.

Meantime, many people wonder how a person with such a violent criminal history was released into the community.

KUOW's Patricia Murphy reports.

The president of the union for Lakewood police, Brian Wurts, says Maurice Clemmons should never have been on the street.

Brian Wurts: "The chief knows I'm not very politically correct, but I have to be to a point. I can't believe he was out on the street. If what is true, I think this country needs to get together and figure out why these people are out."

Washington State Department of Corrections spokeswoman Belinda Stewart confirms that Clemmons was under community supervision at the time he allegedly shot the officers.

Stewart wouldn't specify the risk level Clemmons was classified under.

Investigators say they know of no reason for gunning down the officers.

But court documents reportedly indicate Clemmons is delusional and mentally unstable.

The 37-year-old suspect has an extensive violent criminal history from Arkansas and was recentlycharged in Washington with assaulting a police officer and rape of a child.

He was released from jail last week after posting a $150,000 bond.

Under Washington state law suspects cannot be held without bail unless the crime is a capital offense.

Documents related to the pending charges in Washington indicate a volatile personality.

Clemmons is accused of punching a sheriff's deputy in the face.

A pierce county Sheriffs report states that he's accused of gathering his wife and young relatives and forcing them to undress.

In 1989 Clemmons was convicted in Little Rock Arkansas for aggravated robbery.

In 2000, then governor Mike Huckabee commuted his 95-year prison sentence.

Clemmons later violated his parole, was returned to prison and released in 2004.