PORT ANGELES — A person of interest was in custody and the Port Angeles Police Department was executing a search warrant at a nearby house following multiple reports of a man shooting a firearm from an Eighth Street bridge about 3 a.m. Monday.
The person of interest was found walking down the sidewalk on West Eighth Street, between the bridges, Port Angeles Deputy Police Chief Jason Viada said. He was taken into custody about 6 a.m.
“There is absolutely no reason to believe that there’s any remaining danger to the public stemming from this incident,” Viada said Monday afternoon.
Police activity in the area of Valley Street and the Eighth Street bridges had diminished by mid-morning, PAPD stated in a social media post.
“We are a block and a half from where we picked him up, and we are searching a house as part of the investigation,” Viada said about 10 a.m. Monday.
Earlier in the morning, officers arrived in the 400 block of West Eighth Street following reports of a man shooting a pistol, the police department stated in a news release. When officers arrived, they observed a man on the bridge near the intersection with South Pine Street.
“The first officer responding had a very brief interaction with the suspect, and during that interaction, no shots were fired by either the officer or the suspect,” Viada said.
However, the man pointed a gun at an officer and is being investigated for aggravated assault of a police officer stemming from that incident, Viada said.
The man fled on foot into the woods above South Valley Street, the police department said.
The Peninsula Crisis Response Team assisted with tactical operations, and officers collected multiple shell casings that were found on the Eighth Street bridge, the police department said.
It was unclear what his target was, Viada said.
“We deployed a whole lot of resources in the neighborhood near the bridge (Monday) morning,” Viada said.
In an email to parents and guardians, the Port Angeles School District said police used a K-9 unit and drone support during a search for the man.
“There is no threat to our schools, students, or staff,” the email from the school district stated. “The incident happened several hours before the start of the school day, and police operations have remained contained to the immediate neighborhood.
“Law enforcement has confirmed that the situation is under control and that school operations can proceed as normal.”
On Monday afternoon, Viada said the investigation remained “very active and very ongoing.”
Police officers located three separate firearms in the home during the execution of the search warrant, and the person of interest is a convicted felon who is prohibited from possessing firearms, Viada said.
“We’ve received a lot of good information that has been helpful during the investigation,” he said.
________
Editor Brian McLean can be reached by email at brian.mclean@peninsuladailynews.com.
