Man arrested near Lacey after threatening deputies during crisis negotiation, sheriff says
The Thurston County Sheriff’s Office took a man into custody Thursday after he allegedly violated a protection order and, during crisis negotiations, advanced at officers with a knife.
Sheriff’s Lt. Mike Brooks said deputies were dispatched just after 4 p.m. Thursday to The Village at Union Mills Apartments on Sweetbrier Lane outside Lacey because of a suspicious vehicle.
It was determined the man inside the car was violating a protection order.
Sheriff Derek Sanders posted the details of the incident on his social media. He said when police attempted to place the man under arrest, he barricaded himself in the car and told officers he was willing to die. He then armed himself with a knife.
The Sheriff’s Office requested assistance from the Olympia Police Department’s K9 unit and a Sheriff’s Office mental health responder for crisis assistance. Sanders said the Lacey Police Department blocked the roadway to ensure motorists wouldn’t get caught up in the incident.
Sanders said an on-duty sergeant trained in crisis negotiation talked with the man. Sanders then arrived armed with a rifle while deputies prepared with less lethal options including pepper spray and pepper ball guns.
He said at one point the man exited the car while armed with the knife and began advancing toward officers. Officers deployed the less lethal munitions and the man retreated to his car.
Sanders then requested a SWAT team to increase the likelihood of a non-lethal outcome, he said, as the negotiations were turbulent.
The suspect immediately surrendered once the armored Bearcat arrived on scene, and he was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence order violation, resisting arrest, malicious mischief and criminal impersonation.
“This incident was an extremely close call that was mitigated through a great team effort to reduce the risk of using deadly force,” Sanders said.
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