ARLINGTON – Police arrested a 21-year-old Deming man Saturday after a standoff at the Arlington Municipal Cemetery.
Police responded at 9:15 a.m. to reports of a man acting suspiciously at the cemetery located at 20310 67th Ave. NE, with individuals in 9-1-1 calls also reporting possible gunshots.
When officers found the man and a vehicle in a wooded area at the back of the property, he acted erratically and ignored attempts by police to talk with him, spokeswoman Kristin Banfield said.
Based on the suspect’s behavior and the potential that he may have firearms, officers left the woods and summoned the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office for additional personnel, Marysville Police’s BearCat armored vehicle and Fire District No. 22-Getchell for an unmanned aerial vehicle, or drone.
Firefighters deployed the drone to watch the suspect more closely and try to talk to him.
Officers saw that the man had access to weapons and was clearly in crisis, continuing to act erratically, spray painting his vehicle and then climbing on top of it, Banfield said. The man continued to ignore officers’ orders.
Police used the armored vehicle to approach the suspect. After over an hour of trying to speak with the man and twice using less lethal force to subdue him, he surrendered and was taken into custody.
After initial evaluation and treatment by Arlington personnel, police took the man to Cascade Valley Hospital for assessment.
Officers intend to book the man into the Snohomish County Jail on multiple charges, including unlawful discharge of fireworks, disorderly conduct, and obstruction, Banfield said.
Officers also recovered drug paraphernalia, fireworks, and multiple weapons including a knife, throwing stars and a hatchet at the scene, she said.