Arlington man threatened police before hourlong shootout, records say

Published 1:30 am Tuesday, May 26, 2026

EVERETT — An Arlington man allegedly told family members that police “will get messed up” before an hourlong shootout with officers over the weekend, according to newly released court documents.

Around 4:20 a.m. Saturday, officers responded to an apartment complex in the 8500 block of 212th Street NE in Arlington for reports of a domestic disturbance between a man and his adult son, arrest records and a release from law enforcement said.

Police intended to arrest Diamond James Self, 28, on suspicion of felony domestic violence after Self allegedly threatened his father and broke a television during a fight, court documents said.

The victim was able to leave the apartment and told officers Self had access to multiple guns, records said.

Self reportedly told his father, “If you call the cops, I’m going to kill every [expletive] pig who comes here,” before officers arrived, according to court documents.

As a result of the threat, officers from Arlington, Marysville and Snohomish County sheriff’s deputies, along with the regional SWAT team, responded to the scene, court records said. Officers attempted to communicate with Self using a PA system to tell him he was under arrest, according to police.

After 5:20 a.m., Self stepped outside of the apartment and started shooting at police, court documents said.

The gunfire continued at sporadic intervals for more than an hour as Self fired on officers and shot at police drones from his apartment, according to court records. Self later told investigators he fired approximately 20 rounds from a revolver and 18 rounds from a rifle, court documents said.

One sheriff’s deputy was pinned down by gunfire for nearly 40 minutes before an armored SWAT unit was able to provide him cover to escape, the police report said.

Self surrendered to police before 6:45 a.m, court records said. He was taken to a hospital in Everett with multiple gunshot wounds to his head, shoulder and bicep, police said.

No officers were hurt in the shootout, according to a press release from the Snohomish County Multiple Agency Response Team (SMART).

SMART is a team of investigators and officers from law enforcement agencies across the county tasked with investigating police use of force incidents.

In an interview after his arrest, Self told investigators he loaded a revolver and rifle after hearing officers tell him he was under arrest over the loudspeaker, court documents said.

Self said he was shooting at a nearby swamp, field and a couple of signs, court records said. Self said he saw the officers but denied he was shooting at police, according to court documents.

Self admitted to shooting “quite close” to officers, including saying he shot toward the officer who was pinned down, court records said.

He was booked into jail on suspicion of two counts of first-degree assault for firing on officers, as well as felony harassment domestic violence and second-degree malicious mischief domestic violence, according to arrest records. He’s being held on a $1 million bond.

SMART will continue to investigate the shooting, according to a release from the unit.

Ian Davis-Leonard: 425-339-3097; ian.davis-leonard@heraldnet.com