Overnight police standoff ends in arrest

An 15-hour standoff between police and a suspect barricaded in his east Vancouver garage ended safely at about 8 a.m. Saturday.

Vancouver police reported they had a suspect in custody, a family member held hostage was unharmed, and that the family dogs were also OK.

The suspect, Michael D. Wright, 45, was booked into the Clark County Jail on suspicion of two counts of first-degree assault domestic violence, two counts of interfering with reporting a domestic violence crime and four counts of unlawful imprisonment.

The events unfolded from a family disturbance at a ranch-style home in the 3700 block of Northeast 143rd Avenue in east Vancouver.

Vancouver police say they were contacted at 5 p.m. Friday by a woman who came to the police station to say a male relative had threatened and assaulted family members earlier in the day. She said he was not allowing them to leave the home.

The regional dispatch network shows an even earlier communication from the residence, when a caller from that address telephoned 911 at 3:06 p.m. to report what was logged at the time as a “cold” assault, meaning it had occurred some time earlier.

After the woman visited the precinct, patrol officers responded to the residence, north of Evergreen High School. They were able to make verbal contact with the suspect, who refused to come out and talk with officers.

Instead, he remained in his garage, along with a child whom he would not release, and the family dogs.

A patrol officer called for the Southwest Washington Regional SWAT team, which surrounded the property, and the standoff continued all night.

Officer Ilia Botvinnik said after midnight that police were “proceeding very cautiously,” in light of the child being held in the garage.

SWAT officers kept in verbal contact with the suspect in an effort to get him to peacefully surrender.

More than 30 officers were reported to be involved, including officers from Portland who helped spell the on-duty SWAT team.

Local Red Cross officials said that they provided support services to police, such as refreshments, during the standoff.

No major roads had to be closed during the standoff, police said.