Shoreline police use drone to aid in de-escalation of a barricaded suspect inside 7-Eleven

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Law enforcement agencies adopt violence de-escalation and mental health training, officers began using time, distance, cover and concealment to avoid escalating situations.

Now, the Shoreline Police Department is also using Unmanned Aerial System's, more commonly called drones, to aid in the de-escalation work.

On October 16, 2024, at 9:20 p.m., a man in mental crisis with possible substance abuse issues appeared disturbed when he pushed a 7-Eleven clerk, causing the employee to flee the store. When a King County Sheriff's deputy arrived, the man barricaded himself inside the store and called 911, insinuating that he had a gun or someone with a gun was in the store. He also shut off all the lights.

"We had a heavy response because we thought we were dealing with something a little more violent," said Deputy Omar Jackson with the King County Sheriff's Office.

As Deputy Jackson tried to negotiate with him, he called in Crisis Negotiation Personnel and a Mental Health Professional K9 along with two drone units, one for the interior and one for the exterior.

Meanwhile, 911 operators pleaded with the man to surrender, so deputies could help him.

One drone entered the store to clear it.

"I have no idea what this person in crisis has going on in their mind," said Shoreline Police Chief Tommy Collins. "We don't have to put a deputy inside a store to actually confront this person."

After the drone's camera showed he was not in the aisles or behind the counter, it exited the store, did a circle of the building and then swooped back inside just as the man came out from behind a closet where he had been hiding. He jumped over the counter and exited the store.

He appeared to be spooked by the drone. "Please, what is that?" the suspect asked as he surrendered to police.

He was placed into custody and later taken to the hospital for treatment for his mental crisis or possible substance abuse.

Chief Collins says in the year his department has had drones, they've seen a lot of success.

"The individual going through the mental health crisis, the deputies, the bystander, all the employees, nobody got hurt. It was resolved very peacefully, and we were really happy about that," Chief Collins said.