2 arrested after hours-long standoff in Everett

Hours-long standoff ends with arrest of 2 people

Two people are in custody following an hours long standoff Friday in Everett.

EVERETT, Wash. - Two people are in custody following an hours long standoff Friday in Everett. Police say it even forced the evacuation of several businesses.

The SMART team from Snohomish County is investigating the incident tonight. A spokesperson says the Everett Police first got called here following a reported disturbance and they were notified that one of the two people involved may have had a firearm.

When Everett Police officers arrived, at least one opened fire and the couple barricaded themselves in a room and went quiet.

SWAT responded and an hours-long standoff then took place until less-lethal devices were used, and the couple came out of the room and were taken into custody.

Witnesses said even before the standoff, there were some tense moments at the hotel when an altercation broke out.

"It was like out of a Rambo movie, she was screaming, it was all over the map," said Todd Hoss, a hotel guest.

Hoss was getting a pop out of the vending machine when he says chaos erupted.

"She was really upset because the people in the hotel, she’s claiming they are getting poisoned," said Hoss about the woman.

He says a hotel employee had gone to the door of the man and woman involved in the standoff at around 11:30 a.m. which is close to check-out time at the motel.

"She lunged out towards the manager," said Hoss.

He says she then ran towards the vending machine where he was standing.

"She’s holding this big iguana, she runs towards the pop machine towards room number 30 and that’s the first room and she’s banging on their door," said Hoss.

He says one of the men that came out due to the commotion got hit.

"She punched one guy in the face, he was kind of like trying to break it up and he was right there," said Hoss.

Not long after that confrontation, Hoss said police arrived. The standoff lasted for hours.

"Upon arrival officers contacted the involved male and female and the male was armed with a handgun," said Nathan Fabia, SMART Spokesperson. "During the contact an altercation occurred an Everett officer discharged their firearm."

At around 5 p.m., loud booms were heard from less-lethal devices, not long after two people were taken into custody.

"The use of less than lethal options were used, and the male and female exited the room and were taken into custody without incident," said Fabia.

Hoss said it was a surprising turn of events.

"I’ve never seen a woman punch a man in the face in my life, and you know something really bad is going to happen so the police came and barricaded in the hotel for five hours or more, all the drones are flying over the building."

Fabia said the man who was arrested was injured and sent to the hospital to be treated for "minor" injuries. He said he couldn’t say Friday night whether or not the man had been shot or had been injured in another way.

He says the man and woman will both be booked for criminal trespass and the man will also be booked for assault as well.

"The female was uninjured and all Everett officers were uninjured. The male will be booked into the Snohomish County Jail on charges of assault in the second degree and criminal trespass first-degree. The female will be booked on criminal trespass first-degree."

The Source: Information in this story comes from the Everett Police Department.