State Patrol detains man spotted with gun near Capitol Lake Thursday morning

Law enforcement flocked to Deschutes Parkway near Capitol Lake mid-morning Thursday after State Patrol spotted a man walking in the middle of the road with a gun in his waistband and “acting irrationally,” Sgt. Darren Wright told The Olympian.

As troopers arrived, a citizen reported the man had pointed the gun at them, Wright said, but no shots were fired. The man was compliant and taken into custody quickly, according to Wright.

Olympia Police Department also responded to the scene; their units were leaving by 9:50 a.m., according to Lt. Paul Lower. Wright said there was no threat to the public at that point.

The 34-year-old man will be booked into Thurston County Jail on suspicion of unlawful possession of a firearm because he is a convicted felon, Wright said.

This story was originally published June 4, 2020 at 10:10 AM.

Sara Gentzler

The Olympian

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Sara Gentzler joined The Olympian in June 2019 as a county and courts reporter. She now covers Washington state government for The Olympian, The News Tribune, The Bellingham Herald, and Tri-City Herald. She has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Creighton University.