Police Department

SPD arrests armed burglary suspect after standoff

Sgt. Lydia Taylor, 509.481.8656

Tuesday, December 24, 2013 at 9 a.m.

Incident #: 13-427358

Spokane Police safely resolve hours-long standoff with an armed burglary suspect. Spokane Police arrested 32-year-old Brent Nouwels for Attempted Residential Burglary and Felony Harassment after he fell from rooftop while taunting negotiators.

On 12-24-13 around 12:45 am Spokane Police responded to a report of a male neighbor outside the complainant’s window with a gun. The complainant reported the armed neighbor then attempted to kick in the door and burglarize the home. When officers arrived on-scene minutes later, the suspect had returned to his residence and shut off the lights.

Officers developed probable cause to arrest Nouwels for Attempted Residential Burglary and Felony Harassment. Officers attempted to talk with Nouwels numerous times through verbal contact, phone calls, and the PA system in their vehicles.

Negotiators were called to the scene in an effort to bring Nouwels, who was still armed, out of the residence peacefully.

Around 2:30 am Nouwels climbed onto the roof from a bedroom window. He began taunting officers, telling them he wanted to fight them. He then lost his balance on the icy roof and fell to the ground in the back yard. He was taken into custody by awaiting officers without incident. He was transported to a local hospital for treatment of his injuries relating to the fall and later booked into jail. Nouwels was booked into jail for Attempted Residential Burglary and two counts of Felony Harassment. Officers executed a search warrant on the residence to recover evidence, including the firearm shown in the incident.

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