Deputies in Washington state used less-lethal beanbag rounds to apprehend a robbery suspect who was armed with a machete last month, authorities said Friday.
A deputy responded to a commercial burglary alarm at an orthodontist’s office in South Hill just after 8 a.m. on March 25, the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department said. Upon arrival, the deputy saw a man with a backpack leaving the business. He told the suspect that he was being recorded on bodycam and ordered him to stop and sit on the curb.
The suspect ignored the deputy’s orders and walked away. At some point, officials said the suspect armed himself by pulling out a machete from his sleeve.
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The deputy maintained a distance and requested less-lethal backup, including a police dog, the department said.
Additional deputies arrived, and one fired beanbag rounds at the burglary suspect, but they were ineffective. Deputies then chased the suspect and fired more beanbag rounds.
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Eventually, the worn-down suspect sat down in a parking lot and gave up, the department said.
The suspect, identified only as a 27-year-old man, was arrested and booked into jail for first-degree burglary, resisting arrest and obstruction.
