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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Man Holding Wife At Gunpoint Surrenders After 10-Hour Standoff

Associated Press

A 45-year-old man who held his wife hostage during a 10-hour standoff here Friday was arrested after negotiators convinced him to surrender, authorities said.

No shots were fired and no one was injured, said Snohomish County sheriff’s spokeswoman Jan Jorgensen.

The man was holding his wife at gunpoint before allowing her to leave the house unharmed, Jorgensen said.

The standoff began after an all-night domestic dispute, Jorgensen said.

The man sent his children - a 21-year-old and two teens - out of the house at about 6:45 a.m.

The children called the sheriff’s department, but the man would not let his 43-year-old wife leave, Jorgensen said.

At one point during the standoff, the man threatened officers by saying: “Someone will die” if they tried to approach the house, Jorgensen said.

After 10 hours of negotiations with members of the Snohomish County Emergency Response Team, the man surrendered and was taken to the Snohomish County Jail, Jorgensen said.