Man in Tree part two: Anacortes police chase man up a tree, negotiate

Update

The man in an Anacortes tree finally came down late Friday night.

After negotiators spent hours talking with the man up the 60-70 foot tree, a lawyer was brought in to talk to him. After speaking with the lawyer, he came down on his own.

Original

In a sequel to Seattle’s man in tree, Anacortes police are negotiating with a man who climbed a tall tree after a Friday afternoon chase through town.

Negotiators are on the scene attempting to get the man down, but police prepared to stay as long as they need.

The incident began on the ground when an officer noticed a car parked near Heart Lake around 11 a.m.

“One of our officers observed a male in a car in a parking lot,” said Anacortes Police Chief Bonnie Bowers.

Bowers said it is “out of place” for someone to be parked in that area.

“The male seemed distracted,” Bowers said. “The officer ran the plate on the car — it came back as stolen. He went to contact the man, the officer started to ask him some questions, the man became quite nervous and ran from the officer.”

The officer ran after the man and a fight ensued. The officer hit the man with a stun gun twice, but it had no effect.

“The man then pulled out a box cutter,” Bowers said. “The officer then pulled out his firearm and backed away. The man ran off.”

The man ran into the city’s forest lands — an area with about 1,500 acres of trees and trails. Two K9 search teams were called in. Eventually, a citizen spotted the suspect exiting the tree line and officers moved in.

“When he realized he was surrounded, he climbed a 60-70 foot tree, where he is now,” Bowers said.

Bowers said that they know who the man is — a 27-year-old from Whatcom County. She said he is a transient with Anacortes ties — perhaps a girlfriend in the area.

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