Man threatens Olympia Best Buy employees with hand saw, police say
A 28-year-old man was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of felony harassment after he used a hand saw to threaten Best Buy employees in Olympia.
Police were dispatched to the Capital Mall store about 10:50 a.m. after a report of a disturbance inside the store, Lt. Paul Lower said.
Store employees said the man entered the business with what they described as a machete-style knife. He then set it down on a counter as he looked at store items, Lower said.
Although described as a machete, an Olympia police photo appears to show a long blade with a serrated edge, similar to a hand saw.
The store employees asked the man to put the “machete” away and leave the store. He initially concealed the hand saw, but then refused to leave, threatening to hit employees in the head and face, Lower said.
The man then exited the business, allegedly knocking merchandise off shelves and damaging an automatic door, according to police.
The suspect was taken into custody at a nearby Target store, Lower said.
This story was originally published January 4, 2023 at 10:02 AM.
