OLYMPIA, Wash. — Two Olympia police officers are recovering after being stabbed while attempting to arrest a suspect accused of lighting his neighbor’s door on fire Thursday night.
According to the Olympia Police Department (OPD), one officer was taken to the hospital Thursday night in serious but stable condition. The other officer suffered a non-life-threatening wound. Both officers were released from the hospital by Friday morning.
The incident began when officers responded to reports of an arson at the Fern Ridge Apartments in Olympia. Police said the suspect, a man believed to be in his 70s, allegedly lit his neighbor's door on fire.
Officers tried to make contact with the suspect, who then used pepper spray on them, according to Sergeant Shannon Barnes with the Lacey Police Department (LPD). The LPD is helping to investigate the incident.
Responding officers got a search warrant for the suspect's apartment and called a designated crisis responder to come help with the suspect, but he did not want to speak with anyone, police said.
Officers then entered the apartment and were "ambushed," Barnes said. The suspect stabbed both officers, causing one officer to fire at the suspect.
The suspect was airlifted to a hospital in Pierce County in critical condition.
The Capital Metro Independent Investigative Team was called to the scene to conduct an independent investigation.
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