Man involved in Lakewood standoff hospitalized, family member speaks out

The Pierce County Sheriff's Office says that the suspect involved in an 8-hour standoff in Lakewood on Wednesday was in critical condition Wednesday night at a local hospital.

A spokesperson from the Pierce County Sheriff's Office says there were shots fired around the time the suspect ran inside a building in an industrial area early Wednesday morning. 

Timeline:

Investigators said during a briefing that it's unclear if shots were coming from the suspect or from police who were in pursuit. Carly Cappetto, pictured below, gave the briefing Wednesday night. 

Cappetto says after shots were fired, the suspect ran into J & S, which is located inside the industrial office complex. Investigators said there was one employee inside.

Cappetto says that the employee was assaulted and escaped with what was described as a serious injury.  Then, the suspect reportedly barricaded himself in the building. 

FOX 13 talked to a family member of the suspect for more details on what happened leading up to the standoff.  

She says as fire crews, police and armored vehicles rushed to the office complex, the family of the man accused in the standoff watched and waited, hoping for a peaceful outcome. 

"He's never done anything like this before, but I’m not surprised he broke and did it now," said Brianna, a family member. 

Brianna says his family got word this morning that something had gone wrong with him when law enforcement reached out with a request. 

"My grandma, his mom, got called by the police this morning to record a video for him and I got called by my brother." 

She says he was accused of burglarizing the Pick and Pull nearby previously.  She says he returned to the area this morning and someone called the police. 

"When police got called, he saw the police and decided to run and go into the building," she said. 

Lakewood police say they got a call just after 9:00 am about a suspicious person.  When they arrived, officers reported that the man jumped the fence to the JBLM property, and then ran back to a commercial business.  

Twenty minutes later, police and witnesses told them that shots were fired and people inside the office complex area fled.

"Thank God I mean, it’s horrible enough already," said Katherine Herrera, who works nearby.  

"These poor people that are workers too. They are working, and they just clock in for their shift and this is how their day goes? It’s frightening, especially this close to home," said Colin Taylor, a neighbor who lives close to the industrial office complex. 

Around 6 p.m. on Wednesday, an armored vehicle approached the building.  A short time later, an ambulance left with lights and sirens activated along with a police escort.   Cappetto said around 8 hours after the standoff began, the man tried to flee from the building and more shots were fired.  Again, she said it was unclear who fired the shots Wednesday. 

Brianna tells FOX 13 that he had been previously incarcerated, but had never done anything like this before.

"It was lower level crimes, never anything to this degree," she said. 

She believes mental health issues may have played a role. 

"I think he’d just want to hear that people are here for him and that he’s going to be OK," she said. 

She also said she wanted him to know that he is loved by his family, and she is supportive of him, and will continue to be so after this incident. 

"I definitely know he’s suffering in his own mind," she said. "He’s battling against his own self." 

"I just think that he’d want to hear that when this is all said and done. His family is still going to support him.  Because I definitely, I think he doesn't think that right now," she said.   

The Source: Information for this report comes from original interviews from FOX 13's Jennifer Dowling.

BEST OF FOX 13 SEATTLE

These 3 WA cities named among fastest growing in US in 2024

This could be Seattle's third-driest January since 1945

Gates Foundation changes name, branding during milestone year

A 3.5 magnitude earthquake strikes near North Bend

Gov. Bob Ferguson issues 3 executive orders after swearing-in

To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily Fox Seattle Newsletter.

Download the free FOX Seattle FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national coverage, plus 24/7 streaming coverage from across the nation.

LakewoodNewsWashingtonTacomaCrime and Public SafetyPierce County