By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
A standoff with an armed suicidal man ended yesterday with the 23-year-old subject dead inside a Winlock area home.
The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office reports the man had been holed up in his parent’s residence since Saturday.
It began when the man made threats to kill family members and refused to leave their home on the 100 block of Florence Place east of Winlock, according to the sheriff’s office.
Chief Civil Deputy Stacy Brown said in a news release the family left, while deputies along with a mental health professional attempted to resolve the situation.
At about 2:30 p.m. yesterday, he came outside with a handgun and deputies attempted to take him into custody, but he ran back indoors, according to Brown. A sheriff’s office negotiator made phone contact with him again before gunshot was heard, according to Brown.
The SWAT team was on the scene, on standby, according to Brown.
He was located inside the residence dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to Brown. His name was not released.
Sheriff Steve Mansfield called it a very sad situation for everyone involved, in which authorities worked tirelessly to bring to a safe ending.
“We explored numerous options over the past four days hoping this young man would opt to seek help for his issues and no one would be hurt,” Mansfield said in the news release. “Unfortunately he chose to take his life.”