An apparently suicidal 24-year-old assault suspect was taken into custody Tuesday after Grays Harbor Sheriff’s Office personnel used non-lethal bean bag rounds to subdue him.

Deputies were dispatched to Alder Place in Elma for a domestic violence incident that was in progress.

“The reporting party called dispatch to report that she spoke with a female located at the Alder Place residence,” said Undersheriff Brad Johansson. “The female told the reporting party that her husband was intoxicated, upset and shot a gun in the residence. The male suspect had talked about being suicidal recently as well.”

The reporting party said there were three small children in the residence with the married couple, and explained that she could hear the female screaming. The call then disconnected. Deputies responded to the scene and requested additional units. Elma Police, McCleary Police and a K-9 Officer from the Aberdeen Police Department responded to assist.

Law enforcement arrived and contacted the female resident who said her husband had left the residence with the gun, said Johansson. The male suspect was spotted hiding in some brush near the residence. Law enforcement took cover to protect themselves and ordered the male to drop his weapon, come out from the bushes and to keep his hands visible.

“The male initially refused to comply with the orders,” said Johansson. “After several more requests the male came out from the bushes with a 9mm pistol in his hand and walked out in the open. The male refused to drop the gun and comply with the deputies orders.”

The man was arguing with deputies and swinging the pistol around in the direction of the deputies. The suspect was upset and appeared to be suicidal, said Johansson. At one point, the male put the gun under his chin and appeared as though he was going to shoot himself.

“When he lowered the gun toward the ground a Grays Harbor Sheriff’s Office sergeant fired a less lethal bean bag round from his shotgun, striking the suspect,” said Johansson. “The suspect dropped to his knees but did not release the pistol and failed to comply with orders to drop the pistol.”

Three more rounds were fired at the suspect before he dropped the pistol and was taken into custody. He received a laceration and large contusions from being struck with the bean bag rounds and was transported to the hospital were he was treated prior to being booked into Grays Harbor County Jail for second-degree assault.

It was later learned the suspect had actually fired two rounds from his pistol after exiting his residence, said Johansson. The male suspect is active duty in the U.S. Army and his supervisors have been informed of the charges and his mental state.

“I am extremely relieved that this incident did not result in the death or serious injury to law enforcement or the suspect. If the deputies did not have available cover, assistance from multiple officers and the time to deploy the less lethal shotgun, this easily could have resulted in deadly force,” said Johansson. “I feel everyone on scene showed great restraint in this extremely dangerous situation. I spoke with the deputies on scene and they felt very fortunate no one, to include the suspect, was seriously injured or killed.”