Chelan man arrested after standoff involving samurai swords

CHELAN — Chelan County sheriff’s deputies arrested a man Tuesday evening after a disturbance on Mystic Creek Lane escalated into an armed standoff involving two samurai-style swords and threats to law enforcement.

Deputies responded around 11 a.m. Nov. 11 to reports of a man yelling on a hillside near the 200 block of Mystic Creek Lane. Witnesses said he appeared to be armed with a rifle. When deputies arrived, they identified the suspect as Jose Franco Nunez, 56, of Chelan, a man with whom deputies had prior contact.

According to the sheriff’s office, Nunez was not carrying a firearm but was armed with two swords. He ran down the hill toward a trailer on his property, where a neighbor lived. Deputies said Nunez banged on the trailer, prompting the neighbor to come outside. Nunez allegedly threatened the man with the swords, went into the trailer briefly, and then emerged again, continuing to yell and strike a nearby vehicle with one of the swords, shattering two windows.

Deputies moved the victim to safety while Nunez walked back to his residence, where he reportedly smashed a window with a golf club and retreated inside. From within the house, he allegedly threatened to “blow up” deputies and claimed to have a gun.

Deputies called in the East Cascade SWAT Team and obtained a search warrant while attempting to negotiate Nunez’s surrender. After he continued to refuse commands, officers used pepper-ball rounds, which led to his arrest without further incident.

Nunez was booked into the Chelan County Regional Justice Center on suspicion of first-degree burglary, second-degree assault, harassment (threats to kill), second-degree malicious mischief, and third-degree theft.

No injuries were reported. The sheriff’s office thanked the East Cascade SWAT Team for its assistance.

Andrew Simpson: 509-433-7626 or andrew@ward.media