Update, 9:45 a.m. :
A man who barricaded himself in a home near Mercer Island High School early Friday morning is now in police custody after officials locked-down several schools in the area.
Mercer Island Police Cmdr. Leslie Burns said officers responded to reports of domestic violence inside a home on the 4300 block of 87th Ave. SE at approximately 2:30 a.m. Friday, and found a woman who had been assaulted by her 36-year-old boyfriend.
The injured woman was transported to Evergreen Hospital, but the boyfriend was uncooperative and refused to emerge from the house and "barricaded himself inside". Police were unable to determine if the man was armed and remained outside the home until a hostage negotiator could arrive.
The hostage negotiator spoke with the boyfriend for nearly 2 hours and was able to talk him in to surrendering. The man then exited the home and was taken into custody without incident at 9 a.m.
Cmdr. Burns confirmed that no weapons were involved in the incident.
MIHS and a handful of other schools, including St. Monica Parish School, Emmanuel Day School preschool and others in the vicinity were placed in a "modified lockdown" as a precaution until the man could be arrested. They returned to normal operation when the suspect was taken into custody.
Mercer Island police say investigators will be completing the investigation and will file charges as appropriate.
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Original Story: Mercer Island High School and surrounding buildings are on modified lockdown this morning as police investigate a domestic dispute in the area.
The District shared this information with families:
- At approximately 5:45 a.m., the Mercer Island Police Department notified our Superintendent that there was police activity in the vicinity of the high school due to a domestic dispute. As a precaution, police asked that exterior doors be locked but that all school operations should proceed normally unless furthern notified.
At approximely 8:20 a.m. this morning, a modified building lockdown was ordered by the MIPD. Students will be allowed to enter the building but once inside the building, we are requiring students to remain until the lockdown is lifted.
Please do not arrive at the high school, CREST or the PEAK PreSchool to pick up student until notified by the District that the lockdown has been lifted. Thank you for your cooperation.
Patch will bring you more information on this breaking story as it becomes available.
