Man shot by Lakewood SWAT allegedly tried to take a hostage, demanded keys to sports car
Before a Lakewood burglary suspect was shot by a SWAT marksman in a standoff last month, court documents say, the suspect tried to take a hostage, spread gasoline throughout the building he was holed up in and demanded the keys to a red sports car parked inside.
At one point Ryan Steven Campbell, 36, allegedly told negotiators he was going to surrender, but moments later a forklift smashed through a large garage door.
Campbell then told negotiators he was going to “shoot it out with the cops again” and that they could come get him, according to the probable cause document filed Wednesday in his criminal case. It wasn’t until after eight hours of negotiations that Campbell, armed with a handgun, exited the building in an industrial business park east of Interstate 5 .
He tried to flee, according to charging papers, but a marksman with the Lakewood Police Department’s Special Response Team shot him with a single round, and Campbell was taken into custody. Records state the .40-caliber handgun he held was missing an ammo magazine, and a search of the scene did not turn one up.
A 69-year-old man who worked for the business where Campbell hid from law enforcement was allegedly assaulted by Campbell during the incident. According to court records, when Campbell entered the front door after an initial confrontation with police officers — where two officers fired shots at him — the defendant pointed his gun at the employee and said, “You’re coming with me”
The employee later told detectives he believed he was being taken hostage and fought Campbell to get control of his handgun, but when he pointed it at the man and pulled the trigger, it didn’t go off. The employee was then allegedly beaten by Campbell, and he escaped the building.
When detectives visited the employee in the emergency room, he was wearing a neck brace, his cheekbone and jaw were fractured, and he had “obvious bruising, swelling and bleeding from his head, face, ear and hands.”
On Wednesday, Campbell pleaded not guilty in Pierce County Superior Court to eight felonies, including first-degree attempted robbery, attempted arson and attempted kidnapping, two counts of second-degree assault against a law enforcement officer, an additional second-degree assault charge, first-degree malicious mischief and unlawful possession of a firearm.
Commissioner Barbara McInvaille ordered Campbell held in custody in lieu of $500,000 bail. According to court records, he has 12 prior felony convictions in Pierce County between 2007 and 2016, including offenses for residential burglary, unlawful possession of a controlled substance and attempting to elude police.
Relatives of Campbell reportedly told law enforcement that he has previously been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and was a heavy narcotics user.
The Lakewood Police Department’s use of deadly force in the incident is being investigated by the Pierce County Force Investigation Team. The team has not yet identified the officers who fired their guns during the incident. Court records in Campbell’s criminal case identify two of them as officers Mike McGettigan and Kayla Dragt. The SWAT marksman who shot and injured Campbell was not identified.
Investigators have previously said that after Campbell was shot, he was transported to a local hospital in critical condition.
Charging documents detail standoff
The Jan. 22 standoff occurred while Campbell was inside an 8,000-square-foot office building and warehouse of a machinery sales and service company. According to its website, its Lakewood location, 10816 25th Ave. S., offers service, parts and rentals for water blaster products.
Campbell allegedly fled to that building after Lakewood officers were twice dispatched to a nearby recycled auto parts business for reports of a burglary. Officers only found a hole in a fence when they responded at 3:21 a.m., but records state they returned shortly after 9 a.m. and saw Campbell run west on 26th Avenue South.
He allegedly jumped a fence onto Joint Base Lewis-McChord property, and a short time later an employee of the machinery sales business saw him briefly enter their building and then exit. Outside, Campbell allegedly ignored the commands of two officers and ran off.
The officers chased him around a 90-degree corner, according to the probable cause document, where the two came face to face with Campbell pointing a gun at them from 10-12 feet away. According to court records, the officers sought cover, and in seconds McGettigan shot nine rounds at Campbell. A third officer nearby, Dragt, also fired five shots toward the defendant, but he fled into the machinery-sales building.
Inside, Campbell allegedly pointed a handgun at the 69-year-old employee and demanded the keys for his truck. According to court documents, the employee said the keys were inside the vehicle and he could take it.
The employee later told detectives that Campbell grabbed him, said he was coming with him, and they walked toward the truck. Campbell lowered his gun as they walked, and according to the employee’s account, he went for it.
They struggled over the gun for a few minutes, the employee told detectives, while Campbell allegedly punched him, bit his ear and tried to gouge his eyes, the records show.
Campbell and the employee fell to the ground during the fight, records state, and the gun came loose. The employee grabbed it while Campbell was on top of him, pointed it at the man and pulled the trigger, but it didn’t fire.
Campbell allegedly punched the employee in the face and neck repeatedly and got the gun back from him. The employee then escaped from the building.
When the employee exited the building, investigators determined Campbell was the only person left inside. Officers began making verbal announcements at 9:34 a.m. About a half hour later, Campbell allegedly called 911, claimed he had a bomb in his backpack and that he wanted the keys to a red sports car.
Negotiators spoke with Campbell for several hours while he made the same threats and demands, court records show. At about 11:30 a.m., he was seen spreading a substance believed to be gasoline throughout the building’s interior.
Campbell allegedly threatened to light himself on fire. Officers reportedly saw liquid seeping into the parking lot and smoke coming from the area of the showroom.
“During a phone conversation with law enforcement, the defendant said that he had poured gas on everything and had a lighter in his hand,” prosecutors wrote in charging documents. “He demanded that all of the officers fall back and clear the area.”
After pouring the gasoline, Campbell reported he was feeling lightheaded and sick. Records state he also claimed he was setting booby traps and had several bombs in his backpack.
Campbell was later seen starting a forklift inside. According to the probable cause document, he ran alongside it while it was in gear and held down the gas pedal with his hand. It hit a garage door, completely removing it from its track and pushing it outside.
The standoff continued until Campbell tried to flee and was shot. The employee of the business later estimated that the damage Campbell caused amounted to more than $20,000.
