Spokane police: Two SWAT standoffs end with arrests of domestic violence suspects
SWAT teams and hostage negotiators were called Sunday and Monday on two separate instances that ended peacefully with a pair of arrests, according to the Spokane Police Department.
The first incident at around 4:30 p.m. Sunday involved 47-year-old Todd L. Johnson, who police said was located in a residence on the 1900 block of West Sharp Avenue. Johnson, who has four felony convictions, is in the Spokane County Jail for second-degree assault.
Police said officers established probable cause to arrest Johnson on Sunday for the assault charge, alleging he struck a victim and held a knife to her neck during an altercation Oct. 19.
Johnson, police said, was uncooperative with officers Sunday and barricaded himself inside the home. Police said Johnson indicated he had a firearm, threatening officers and telling police they would have to kill him.
After more than four hours of negotiations, SWAT officers deployed a chemical agent into the residence, police said. Johnson was taken into custody shortly thereafter without further incident.
The second incident occurred Monday and involved the arrest of 41-year-old Jason Tittman, who was wanted on a felony assault warrant and a U.S. Marshal’s probation violation warrant stemming from a weapons offense, according to the police department. Tittman, who has 14 criminal convictions to his name, is not legally permitted to possess a firearm due to his criminal history, police said.
Police were able to locate and arrest Tittman with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Violent Offender Task Force, according to the police department.
Leading up to the arrest Monday, police said officers tracked Tittman down to a residence on the 4700 block of North Stone Street, arriving at around 11:30 a.m.
Officers convinced Tittman to surrender after about an hour and a half, police said. Investigators executed a search warrant, recovering at least one firearm from the residence, according to the police department.