Standoff in Bonney Lake ends in man’s apparent suicide

Published 10:37 am Thursday, September 16, 2010

An overnight standoff between a citizen and police deputies in Bonney Lake resulted in the death of a man from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The incident began at about 10:30 p.m. Wednesday at a home in the 14000 block of Prairie Ridge Drive.

According to the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department, the deceased, whose name has not been released, began arguing with the boyfriend of one of his two nieces.

Both nieces and the boyfriend were in the man’s home with him and the argument allegedly began over the boyfriend’s treatment of one of the nieces.

Another account involves an argument over supposedly stolen property.

Deputies were called and were advised that guns were involved. They were told the suspect was an avid hunter and had weapons in the home. A deputy sergeant on the scene said when a female deputy arrived and asked the suspect to step out of the house he fired two shots from a handgun. The deputy was not injured and called for backup.

SWAT team members unsuccessfully attempted to establish contact with the gunman.

Between 3 and 4 a.m. SWAT members looked inside the home and saw the man lying down. Upon entering the home they discovered the man apparently shot himself.

The SWAT team was able to get the three other people out of the home safely.

The investigation is ongoing.