South Hill standoff with SWAT team ends after deputies come under fire; suspect surrenders

Someone opened fire on Pierce County sheriff’s deputies Friday as they responded to a shots-fired call in South Hill.

No deputies were hit, the sheriff’s department reported on Twitter about 5:55 p.m.

A SWAT team was deployed to the 11500 block of 85th Avenue Court East, and sheriff’s negotiators were communicating with someone inside a home there, the department said.

The department urged people to avoid the area.

UPDATE: The standoff has ended. At 7:22 p.m., the sheriff’s department reported on Twitter that the suspect surrendered peacefully, and will be booked into the Pierce County Jail on suspicion of first-degree assault.

The sheriff’s department noted that the suspect’s 11-year-old son was in the house during the standoff. The boy is now safe with family members, authorities said.

This story was originally published August 20, 2021 at 6:12 PM.

Adam Lynn

The News Tribune

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Adam Lynn is the local news editor at The News Tribune. He has worked as a journalist for more than 35 years, most of it in Washington state. Outside of work, you might find him huffing and puffing on a hiking trail or yipping an 8-ball in the nearest pool hall.