Sheriff's officials arrest Moses Lake man in standoff
Grant County sheriff's officials spent three hours Monday talking a man out of this shed outside of a residence on Lybbert Drive Northeast just outside Moses Lake's city limits.
MOSES LAKE - Grant County sheriff's officials swung into action early Monday morning after a suspect barricaded himself into a shed next to a Moses Lake home on Lybbert Drive Northeast.
Kasey Hardy, 30, of Moses Lake, allegedly made domestic violence threats at the 8800 block of the avenue.
Deputies closed off a stretch of Lybbert for roughly three hours from 5:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.
"It came to the attention of law enforcement due to a complaint of threats," sheriff spokesman Kyle Foreman said. Due to reports from Hardy's acquaintances, there was reason to believe there were explosives inside the house, Foreman said.
The sheriff's department called in the Moses Lake Regional Tactical Response Team and Richland Police Department's bomb squad for assistance.
Paramedics from American Medical Response and crews from Grant County Fire District 5 were also on hand.
Negotiators spoke with Hardy via megaphone, who had holed himself up in a shed attached to a carport near the residence. Officials eventually employed tear gas in order to apprehend him.
Foreman said rounds of bean bags were fired at Hardy when he was not cooperative.
Hardy was taken into custody without injury, Foreman said. He was transported to Samaritan Healthcare in Moses Lake for evaluation and released to officials.
The sheriff's department initially obtained information from people who knew the suspect that he may have been making amateur bombs at the residence.
After taking proper precautions, Foreman said he was pleased to report that no explosive devices were found. The Richland bomb squad went through the shed and cleared the structure.
At least four families were evacuated in the vicinity for safety reasons. They were allowed back to their residences at 8:30 a.m.
Hardy was booked into Grant County Jail on counts of suspicion of threatening to bomb or injure property, stalking, stalking electronically, and telephonic harassment. All counts have domestic violence enhancements tacked on.