Six dead in US shooting attacks

A shooting spree in Skagit County has left six people dead and two injured by a man authorities describe as a well-known criminal.

State Patrol Trooper Keith Leary said a man was arrested after turning himself in at the Skagit County Sheriff's Office. The suspect is known to authorities "as someone with a mental illness," Leary said, and was booked into the Skagit County Jail.

The Department of Corrections identified the man as 28-year-old Isaac Zamora of Alger. He is on Department of Corrections supervision and is considered a high-risk offender with convictions for theft and drug possession. He's a nonviolent offender who is being supervised at a high level because of his long-standing mental health issues. Zamora last reported to his probation officer in Mount Vernon on Aug. 21.

Dennise Zamora, said her son is "extremely mentally ill" and has been living in the woods on and off for years. She said that the slain deputy was aware of his illness and told the Zamora family to call her any time for help.

After watching Isaac walk in and out of neighbors' homes and other issues throughout the day, Dennise Zamora called the deputy this afternoon.

Dennise Zamora cried when she talked about her son and said that she wished she could switch places with the people slain.

"When I say I wish it was me and not them I mean it from the bottom of my heart," she said sobbing.

DOC spokesman Chad Lewis said that Zamora was released from the Skagit County Jail in the first week of August. He had since reported twice to his community corrections officer. A urine analysis indicated no drug or alcohol consumption. He was next scheduled to report back to the officer on Sept. 10.

Authorities say a Skagit County sheriff's deputy who was hired by the agency in 2002 was killed. Five other people at a number of addresses throughout North Skagit County were also slain, Leary said.

The shooting spree came to light when deputies, acting as backup for the deputy, showed up at a home in the 19300 block of Bridle Place, near Alger.

When she didn't call in to notify dispatchers of her status, backup were sent to the home and found her dead, Leary said. Deputies found a second victim at the same address, Leary said.

A few blocks away, in the 19500 block of Silver Creek Drive, authorities found two construction workers dead inside a house under construction. Another body was found a few houses down, Leary said.

A US man has surrendered to police in Washington state, after a series of shootings left six people dead.

The shootings took place at various places in the north-west of the state.

A sheriff's deputy who went to investigate an incident was one of those killed; two construction workers were found shot nearby.

Following a chase along an Interstate highway, during which a motorist was killed, a man gave himself up at a sheriff's office in Mount Vernon.

Local police say the deputy sherrif went to investigate reports of a disturbance at a local residence in Skagit County, north of Seattle.

When he didn't return and failed to answer radio calls the alarm was raised.

The deputy's body was found at the scene alongside a second victim.

Then the construction workers were found and another body was discovered on a street a short distance away.

Law enforcement officials managed to track the gunman and a high speed car chase ensued during which the suspect is reported to have been shooting wildly.

The dramatic pursuit ended when the gunman, who was reportedly known to the local authorities, unexpectedly pulled into a police station and surrendered.

Neither the victims nor the suspect have been identified.