News

Man emerges from building naked after bomb threat, standoff

A man carrying two backpack-sized bags entered the Department of Corrections office in Lynnwood and threatened to blow up the building, sparking an evacuation, bomb sweep and standoff that ended with him emerging without his clothes.

LYNNWOOD, Wash. — The man entered the DOC field office in the 18700 block of 33rd Avenue West near the Alderwood Mall in Lynnwood shortly after 9 a.m. Wednesday and started making threats about blowing up the building.

Police said he then threw one of the bags at an interior window.

All employees evacuated, except one woman who remained trapped inside the building.  She hid in a back office and called 911.

Police were able to get the woman out safely while the man remained inside the office.

Officers also evacuated neighboring businesses during the standoff.

At 10:05 a.m., the man emerged naked and was taken into custody.

He is 42 years old and his last known address was in Mountlake Terrace, according to police.

A Washington State Patrol K-9 unit and Everett Police Department bomb technicians were called to the scene to conduct a bomb sweep in the building.  They remained at the scene Wednesday afternoon.

Lynnwood detectives are investigating.  The man arrested has a criminal history but it’s unclear why he made the threats.

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