EVERETT — A nearly eight-hour police standoff ended peacefully Tuesday morning when a troubled man armed with a shovel came down from a rooftop in south Everett and gave himself up.
Police were called around midnight to a condominium complex in the 200 block of 100th Street SW, Everett police Sgt. Robert Goetz said.
The man, 45, was standing on the roof, acting boisterously and threatening officers, Goetz said.
Patrol officers were familiar with the man. During the past several months, they had been called a number of times to investigate reports that the man was harassing his neighbors, Goetz said.
Police believe the man may be suffering from mental health problems.
As it became clear the man wasn’t going to give up easily early Tuesday, the SWAT team was called to standby, Goetz said.
With the man surrounded, it wasn’t necessary to rush up after him.
“There was no need for us to go up on the roof and endanger him and our officers,” he said. “Our officers used good judgement in just waiting.”
Around 7:30 a.m., the man was arrested.
It’s the police department’s job to help people to safety, see that they are investigated for alleged crimes and help them get medical attention, if necessary, Goetz said
The man in the standoff was booked into the Snohomish County Jail for investigation of stalking and obstruction.
Officers planned to ask the jail staff to screen the man for mental health issues, Goetz said.
In December 2005, an Everett officer was stabbed and a mentally ill man collapsed into a fatal coma after struggling with officers in a downtown Everett apartment. The apartment’s manager reported the man had left the water running, causing damage. Police were absolved of wrongdoing in the death.
Reporter Jackson Holtz: 425-339-3437 or jholtz@heraldnet.com.
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