Around 1:30pm about four police cars raced up NE 45th Street to a home in the 4300 block of 53rd Avenue NE. A few hours later more police cars showed up. And about 2 hours ago about four SWAT vehicles raced eastbound on NE 45th Street.
The Laurelhurst Blog staff has learned from neighbors in the area that a psychiatric patient was supposedly on a "supervised walk" in the neighborhood and escaped, breaking into the home and is currently still barricading himself in the home for the last 4-5 hours.
A Laurelhurst Blog staff member drove down 53rd Avenue NE and directly in front of the house about 2pm and saw about five officers standing in a line in front of the home.
About 3:3pm the Laurelhurst Blog staff member tried to drive by again and the street was blocked off at NE 45th Street and 53rd Avenue NE and two to three SWAT cars were there.
One had the back open of the vehicle open and a white board was visible with notes written on it, perhaps strategizing how to resolve the situation. The officer told the staff member that a man had barricaded himself inside the house and he didn't think the individual had any weapons.
About 5pm, the Laurelhurst Blog staff member went near the area again and a large area was blocked off about, four to five blocks around the affected home.
Cars can still travel eastbound on NE 45th Street but can go no further than 51st Avenue NE where they are forced to turn right.
About 5:15pm, Laurelhurst Blog staff members saw two Children's Hospital employees on foot rushing eastbound to the area with pens and paper in hand and were let into the area by the Police.
Neighbors said that the officers had just learned around that time that the individual may have weapons, as they did not think they did several hours before.
A nearby neighbor said that the psychiatric patient had barricaded himself in their neighbor's house and the neighbors were safe and at another neighbor's house. He said the police told him the male may have guns and knives, though police still didn't seem to be sure on the exact weapons. The neighbor was told he could not stay in his house and all his neighbors were not allowed on the street or in a four to five block radius.
A Laurelhurst Community Club (LCC) representative said that the Security Patrol let him know that the situation was going on and "that there is no danger to anyone in the neighborhood."
Here are comments posted on a NE neighborhood website:
Swat cars and road blocked. A psychotic person has barricaded themselves in home next to people we know while owners are on vacation.
Mental patient from Children's escaped, broke into home and now think he's armed.
My neighbors daughter got locked down at Villa from soccer practice, lots of sirens, does anyone know what's going on?
Four blocks are cordoned off.
Here is what I have heard : this afternoon a psych patient from children's hospital was out for a supervised walk and escaped into the neighborhood He broke into the white house by steps. Alarm went off and police have him surrounded. He is a threat to himself and they are taking their time getting him back to hospital.
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