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Barricaded man arrested after stand-off

On May 20th at approximately 7:31 p.m. officers responded to the 3000 block of NW 73rd Street following a 911 report that a mentally distraught male suspect had threatened mental health professionals with a rifle.  Officers arrived on scene and surrounded the suspect’s residence.  The SWAT team and negotiators also responded. 

Preliminary investigation indicates that the suspect had contacted his social workers earlier in the day and intimated that he was suicidal.  King County Mental Health Professionals responded to the suspect’s residence to conduct a welfare check on him.  They knocked on the door but the suspect refused to answer.  As they were leaving, the suspect came outside yelling and pointed a rifle at the mental health workers.  They fled the scene and called 911. 

Responding officers quickly set up containment and attempted to establish contact with the suspect.  Information was developed indicating that nobody else was inside the suspect’s house other than the suspect.  Numerous attempts were made to get the suspect to talk with officers and surrender peacefully.

At one point the suspect appeared near a rear window of the house holding what was believed to be an assault rifle.  The suspect verbally threatened officers and then pointed the rifle at them.  One SWAT officer fired at the suspect with his service rifle however, the suspect was not hit.  The officer’s bullets lodged in the house.  A short time later the suspect surrendered and was taken into custody by officers without further incident. 

Nobody was injured throughout the entire event.  Upon further examination the suspect’s weapon was revealed to be an “Airsoft” AR-15 style assault rifle with the orange end cap painted black.  The 27-year-old male suspect was subsequently booked into the King County Jail for Investigation of Assault. 

Homicide/Assault detectives responded to the scene and will handle the on-going investigation.