Find Posts By Topic

Man Arrested After Setting Fire In Abandoned Lake City Building

A two-hour standoff in North Seattle ended peacefully Wednesday after a man set a fire in an abandoned building and barricaded himself inside, leading police to temporarily shut down Lake City Way.

Police received reports around 10:30 AM that the man was swinging a long metal pole and throwing paper out of a second floor window in a vacant building in the 13500 block of Lake City Way NE.

When officers arrived at the scene, they discovered the man had also set a small fire inside the building. Police attempted to contact the man, but he refused to come out and barricaded himself inside the building.

Police negotiators attempted to coax the man out of the building, but made little headway. The man continued to mill about the building, and turned on an oven and stove, filling a room with smoke. SWAT officers eventually entered the building and took the 45-year-old man into custody.

Officers called for medics, who transported the man to Harborview Medical Center for an evaluation and treatment. It appears he may have been experiencing a mental health crisis during the incident, and may be eligible for mental health court for any related charges.