Three arrested, including teenager, after SWAT standoff at Fife motel
A standoff involving a firearm at a motel parking lot in Fife caused a large police response Wednesday afternoon, and ended with the arrests of three family members, according to law enforcement.
Authorities were notified of a disturbance involving intimidation with a firearm in the parking lot at 5201 20th Street East at 1:38 p.m., the Fife Police Department stated in a press release.
Police blocked off the parking lot as well as the 5400 block of 20th Street East during the incident, temporarily blocking the road.
Upon taking witness statements and reviewing security footage at the scene, officers determined there was an argument between occupants in a travel trailer and occupants in a motel room.
Motel surveillance footage showed a 39-year-old woman start an argument with the group of people in the motel’s parking lot, the release said. After briefly returning to her room, the woman exited with her 17-year-old daughter, who is seen in the footage holding a handgun and yelling at the people in the parking lot.
The teenager racked the slide of the firearm and pointed it at the group of people, the release said. During the interaction, her mother stood next to her at the top of the stairs. When police arrived, the women returned to their room, the release said.
Police found probable cause to arrest the mother and daughter.
“It was determined that several people associated with the same room at the hotel had actively engaged in a confrontation with another group on the property, and while doing so, committed assault with a firearm,” the FPD release said.
Officers also discovered that one of the people in the motel room, 43-year-old Dennis Riche, had an active felony warrant for second degree assault, according to the affidavit. He was also in violation of a no-contact order with a family member at the scene, the release said.
The remaining daughters in the motel room exited peacefully, the release said.
Riche, however, refused to leave the room. Officers attempted to communicate with the subject, and due to the severity of the crimes involved, activated the Metro Cities SWAT team.
Hours after the call was dispatched, SWAT members took Riche into custody at 4 p.m., the release said.
According to court records, Riche is charged with two counts of second degree unlawful possession of a firearm, and one count of obstructing law enforcement. He also charged with second degree assault for a separate domestic violence incident dating to last August. His bail is set at $100,000.
The 39-year-old woman was booked into Pierce County jail on suspicion of first degree assault and obstructing law enforcement. The 17-year-old girl was also transported to Remann Hall Juvenile Detention Center for suspicion of first degree assault with a firearm.
Fife Police detectives searching the suspects’ hotel room found two loaded firearms, a Glock 9 mm handgun and a Glock .40 handgun. Evidence showed that one of the guns was used in the assault, the release said.
There is no threat to the public at large and Fife police are continuing to investigate the incident, they said.
This story was originally published June 11, 2026 at 4:30 PM.
