Boy, 13, allegedly fires arrows at deputies, police drone during Elma standoff; officer fires shot

A 13-year-old boy shot arrows at sheriff’s deputies, police officers and a police drone during a standoff in Elma Wednesday afternoon, prompting an officer to fire his weapon, the Grays Harbor County Sheriff’s Office said.

Deputies were dispatched to a home at 2:25 p.m. after the boy’s father called for help.

“The reporting party advised dispatch that his autistic 13-year-old son was out of control and was striking doors and walls in the house with an axe,” according to a post from Grays Harbor County Undersheriff Kevin Schrader on Facebook. “The juvenile also threatened to break into the safe at the house and retrieve a gun. The occupants in the house were able to safely get outside and wait for the deputy’s arrival.”

When deputies and Elma Police officers arrived, they kept their distance and began negotiating with the boy, who they believed was armed with an axe.

“The juvenile had now armed himself with a bow and arrows,” Schrader stated. “As officers and deputies continued to attempt to negotiate with the juvenile, the juvenile exited the house and pointed the bow and arrow at the officers and deputies.”

Officers and deputies continued trying to talk the boy into surrendering, but he began firing at them, they said.

“The juvenile shot multiple arrows in the direction of the officers and deputies, and at a police drone in the air above,” according to Schrader. “One officer discharged his service weapon, firing one shot, but he did not strike the juvenile.”

After several more minutes of tense negotiations, an officer and a deputy deployed less-lethal munitions, striking the boy. He surrendered and was taken into custody with minor injuries, then transported to the hospital.

Once released, authorities said he would be booked into the Grays Harbor County Juvenile Detention Center on multiple counts of assault in the first degree.

Because an officer fired his weapon, the Grays Harbor County Sheriff’s Office requested the Region 3 Critical Incident Investigation Team, led by the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office, to conduct an independent investigation, Schrader said.

“The Sheriff’s Office would like to thank all the agencies who assisted in this very critical and dynamic situation,” Schrader said. “We are pleased that nobody was seriously injured during this incident. We also apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused residents who lived in the neighborhood who were briefly displaced from their residences while we dealt with this critical incident.”

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