Pistol-Whipping in Juanita Leads to Assault Arrest

A man about 35 years old was arrested Monday on suspicion of second-degree assault after allegedly pistol-whipping another man Sunday night at a north Juanita residence, causing the gun to fire.

Kirkland Police were called to just after 11 p.m. Sunday by the victim, who said he was able to get away after being hit in the head with the gun at a residence in the 13300 block of 105th Avenue NE. That caused the gun to fire, but the bullet did not strike anyone.

Kirkland Police spokesman Sgt. Rob Saloum said the victim and suspect were known to each other. “I think at some point they were roommates, but they were known to each other,” Saloum said.

Initially thinking the suspect was holed up at the residence, possibly in a crawl space, Kirkland police obtained a search warrant and carried it out, using its Special Response and Crisis Negotiation teams.

The suspect was ultimately arrested Monday by Snohomish County Sheriff’s deputies without incident after Kirkland police learned he was likely at another location outside of Kirkland.

Saloum said the suspect is “about 35” and has prior felony convictions, but he did not know if the suspect is a Kirkland resident. Saloum also could not say for sure whether the victim was a Kirkland resident, or how old the victim was.