Seattle man arrested after climbing onto the roof of a building and then crawling into a nearby tree to escape officers before spending 12 hours perched in it

  • The man climbed onto the roof of an apartment building in the Lake City neighborhood at about 2.45am on Sunday
  • He then crawled across some power lines and made his way into a nearby tree; he refused to come down until about 1.30pm
  • Police say the incident started with some sort of domestic dispute
  • It is the second incident in the last two days involving a suspect fleeing police by climbing into a tree  

By ASSOCIATED PRESS and MYRIAH TOWNER

Published: | Updated:

Police have arrested a man after he spent nearly 12 hours perched in a tree in Seattle on Sunday.

The man climbed onto the roof of an apartment building in the Lake City neighborhood around 2.45am before crawling across some power lines and into a nearby tree, KOMO-TV reported. 

Police said the incident started with some sort of domestic dispute.

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The man was wanted for domestic violence vandalism and also had warrants out for his arrest, so officers did not want to release him from custody.

The suspect however ran from officers and climbed onto the roof of the building before making his way into the tree, according to KING5. 

He refused to come down from the tree until about 1.30pm. No one was hurt and the man was taken into police custody.

While the man was in the tree, he reportedly caused a power disturbance, with city lights shutting off power until he came down, according to KIRO7 reporter at the scene. 

Sunday's tree incident is the second in the last two days involving a suspect fleeing police by climbing into a tree.

A police chase on Friday ended with a suspect in a seven-hour standoff with officers after he climbed an 80-foot tree in Anacortes, according to KING5.

Friday's incident happened after an officer noticed a parked car in an 'out of place' area and ran the plates learning the car was stolen.

When the officer approached the man and asked him questions, he became nervous and fled, according to MyNorthwest.com.

The officer reportedly ran after the might and a fight ensued, with the officer hitting the man twice with a stun gun before the man pulled out a box cutter.

The officer then pulled out his firearm and the man fled again into a forest where he climbed the tree after realizing he was surrounded, according to MyNorthwest.   

After several hours of negotiations, he eventually climbed down. 

Back in March, another man who spent 25 hours atop a sequoia tree in downtown Seattle was charged with malicious mischief, but was later found incompetent to stand trial. 

Police have arrested a man after he climbed onto the roof of an apartment building near 32nd Avenue Northeast and Northeast 137th Street (pictured) and then made his way into a nearby tree to escape officers

Police have arrested a man after he climbed onto the roof of an apartment building near 32nd Avenue Northeast and Northeast 137th Street (pictured) and then made his way into a nearby tree to escape officers

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