After 8 Hour Standoff, Trapped Burglar Who Claimed Grenade Taken Into Custody

A SWAT team moves to the back door of the house.

It began as a burglary call until officers found a suspect inside who claimed to have a grenade

It ended with a suspect in custody

“This is the police. We’re not going anywhere, so come out with your hands up.” That was the refrain repeated for 8 hours after a sharp-eyed neighbor saw a man breaking into a house in the 3800 block of Wetmore Avenue Friday afternoon. At about 1:45pm a man called police and said he thought his neighbor’s house was being broken into. Aaron Snell with Everett Police says as officers arrived at the location, a male exited the house but immediately went back inside when he saw officers. The male refused to exit the house. After numerous requests for the male to exit, officers entered and searched the residence. After about 25 minutes of searching, verbal contact was made with the male while he hid in the attic. The male told officers he had a grenade and was willing to use it. Officers vacated and secured the house.

Everett Police then activated their SWAT team and were joined by a SWAT team from the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office. Two different armored vehicles responded to the scene as well as a bomb technician and the Department of Emergency Management Command Vehicle. As day turned into night at least six SWAT Officers and a K-9 unit entered the house and finally brought the suspect out around 10pm. Snell says the suspect is a 41-year-old from Lake Stevens. He was to be booked into the Snohomish County Jail on suspicion of burglary at the time of this writing.