KENT, Wash. — A 48-year-old Kent man is in custody after pointing a handgun at officers during an early-morning standoff that led to an officer-involved shooting and a building evacuation.
According to the Kent Police Department, Seattle Police requested assistance at approximately 3:14 a.m. to locate a suspect wanted for felony sexual assault and domestic violence assault. The suspect was believed to be inside his apartment in the 11100 block of SE 208th Street.
Kent officers quickly arrived and found the suspect’s unoccupied vehicle in the parking lot. When officers knocked on his apartment door, the suspect opened it briefly and pointed a handgun at them. One officer fired his service weapon in response. The suspect then retreated back inside and shut the door. No officers were injured.
A perimeter was set around the building as Valley SWAT was called to assist. Officers attempted to communicate with the suspect over PA systems, observing him through windows, but he refused to comply. A short time later, the suspect’s mother exited the unit and confirmed that he was inside alone.
Smoke was seen coming from the apartment, and the suspect’s mother reported the fire sprinkler system had activated. Kent officers began evacuating nearby residents as Puget Sound Fire responded. Fire officials determined the incident involved a small fire inside the unit.
Despite repeated commands, the suspect refused to surrender. At 5:53 a.m., he exited the apartment but continued to ignore officers. A police K9 was deployed to take him into custody. The suspect sustained injuries from the K9 bite but was not shot.
Detectives with the Valley Independent Investigative Team (VIIT) have taken over the investigation, as required for incidents involving police use of force.
More updates will be released by VIIT as the investigation continues.