Police: Cleveland cop turned fugitive shoots, kills self in SWAT standoff

A former Cleveland police officer-turned fugitive shot and killed himself today with an assault rifle to end a six-hour standoff.

Tommie Griffin III, 52, was scheduled to go on trial next Monday. He was accused of rape, kidnapping, felonious assault, domestic violence, tampering with evidence, possessing criminal tools, pandering obscenity and telecommunications harassment in connection to a Jan. 14 sexual assault of his girlfriend in Parma.

He was wanted after he cut off his GPS tracking device over the weekend, CBS affiliate WOIO-TV in Cleveland reported.

Cleveland police Sgt. Jennifer Ciaccia released a statement: "Cleveland SWAT responded to 3699 W. 165 on information from the USMS and Violent Crimes Task Force for wanted male Tommie Griffin. After a six-hour standoff, officers entered the home, heard a gunshot and found the suspect in the basement with a self inflicted gunshot wound,” WOIO reported.

Police said they are not sure how Griffin got the AR-15 rifle, but would be tracking its owner. Police said they expect charges to follow for those who helped Griffin when he was on the lam.

Some of the officers in the standoff had worked with Griffin. He resigned Feb. 27 had joined the force in 1984.