UPDATE: SWAT arrests three local men on suspicion of felony assault

SWAT team members arrested three Clark County men on suspicion of second-degree felony assault and racially motivated malicious harassment in connection with a March 18 disturbance at a Vancouver bar.

Clark County Superior Court documents say the three men — Brent W. Luyster, 32, of Vancouver, his brother Robert A. Luyster, 31, of Vancouver, and Donald H. Mcelfish — assaulted three men with a deadly weapon and threatened to kill one of them based on his race. The three suspects allegedly fled before police arrived.

The alleged incident occurred at the Quarter Deck Bar, 4300 E. Fourth Plain Blvd.

Members of the Southwest Washington Interagency Gang Enforcement Team investigated the incident and found probable cause for the arrest of the three men. The suspects were arrested at their residences by members of the Southwest Regional, Gresham and Lower Columbia SWAT teams.

Brent W. Luyster was arrested at 15802 N.E. 9th Circle; Robert A. Luyster was arrested at 2111 E. Mill Plain Blvd.; and Mcelfish was arrested at 2801 Lewis River Road. All three were booked into the Clark County Jail. The case is still under investigation.

In 2001, the Luyster brothers were involved in what police characterized as a racially motivated attack on a 45-year-old black man in Vancouver’s Rose Village neighborhood. Yelling threats and a racial slur, the trio punched, kicked and beat the victim with boards. They also smashed the windows of the man’s truck.

In June of 2005, Brent W. Luyster was involved in another racially motivated attack on a black man. He and two other men made racial slurs at the victim, who fought with two of the men. During the fight, a man named Jeremiah Prueitt pulled out a handgun and pointed it at the victim, causing the victim to run away, police said. Prueitt then shot the victim in the leg.

Each man arrested in Monday’s sweep has spent time in the Clark County court system. Brent W. Luyster’s criminal history dates back to June of 1988, when he was seven. In the past, he’s been involved in a drive-by shooting, taken a motor vehicle without permission and been convicted of assault, rioting while armed with a deadly weapon, malicious harassment, malicious mischief and theft, among other crimes.

Robert A. Luyster’s history includes possession of methamphetamine, forgery, assault, malicious mischief and possession of stolen property.

Mcelfish was found guilty of a drive-by shooting in May of 1999.