Man takes 4 people hostage at gunpoint in Issaquah; all later released

The suspect who held an Issaquah family hostage is believed to be the man found dead Monday inside the burned home after an hours-long standoff.

The man, identified as Blake Shahiem Parivar, was armed when he took his sister and her family hostage Saturday evening, officials said.

All four hostages, including two kids 5 and 8 years old, were later rescued Sunday with Parivar still inside a home on Isola Place Northwest.

Police responded around 7:30 p.m. Saturday to a suspicious circumstances call. While investigating, a 28-year-old man, later identified as the brother of the homeowner, entered the house. Police said he had a felony warrant.

A SWAT team was called in to negotiate and after five and a half hours, they got the woman’s fiancé and two children out without injuries and then got her out too.

“She was in a different place than the kids and the boyfriend at the time the initial rescue happened, that’s my understanding. So, they weren’t able to get to her, so she was there 10 more hours until they were able to rescue her,” Washington State Patrol Trooper Chase Van Cleave said.

Law enforcement officials held a news briefing about the standoff on Sunday:

Around 1 p.m., law enforcement officials said the house, with the suspect still barricaded inside, caught fire.

Issaquah police later tweeted that in order to battle the fire at the home, Puget Sound Energy had to shut off power to all the houses in the neighborhood.

KIRO 7 asked and investigators confirmed there were reports the suspect fired a gun. Police don’t believe the man fired at any SWAT officers. They announced Monday afternoon they found a body believed to be him. The cause of death is expected to be released later this week.

The house is a total loss.

Officials still don’t know what caused the fire but the investigation is ongoing.