SW Redmond standoff, arrest worry neighbors

Reports that a southwest Redmond man was following and threatening to kill his wife with a gun brought numerous police to his neighborhood Wednesday night.

Officers soon learned the threats actually involved a knife, but a standoff at the man’s home lasted several hours, closing nearby streets, until he was taken into custody without incident shortly after midnight, making for a nervous night for neighbors.

Streets in the immediate area of SW 31 st Street and Lava Avenue were barricaded for much of that time, prompting curiosity, then concern among area residents, many of whom had little or no idea why the Central Oregon Emergency Response (CERT) team armored vehicle and numerous police were surrounding the house.

It all began around 6:45 p.m., when police responded to a reported weapons offense in the area, said Lt. Mike Kidwell. Initial information indicated a man was following a woman with a gun and threatening to kill her, he said.

Just before officers got to the area, the man, later identified as William Andrew Wilson, 31, fled to his home in the 3200 block of Lava Avenue, the officer said. The woman allegedly threatened was identified as his 29-year-old wife. Kidwell said they also learned Wilson had been following her with a knife, not a firearm.

Officers secured the home, but continued attempts to contact Wilson inside were unsuccessful, Kidwell said.

Based on evidence gathered by investigators, officers applied for and obtained a warrant to search the home and arrest Wilson. Police confirmed a small robotic camera was used to help ascertain where Wilson was in the home and that it was safe for officers to go in.

Around 12:10 a.m., officers entered the home, aided by the CERT Team, and took Wilson into custody without further incident, Kidwell said, adding that unidentified “evidence of the listed crimes” was found there.

Even after the incident ended peacefully, the heavy police presence and long, nervous night left some neighbors rattled.

“I’ve only lived here for a couple months, and I definitely wasn’t expecting that much police activity,” said John Clearman. “It was like a military zone, the best I could describe.”

On behalf of Redmond police, Kidwell expressed thanks to the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, Bend Police Department and the CERT Team “for their help in bringing about a safe and successful conclusion to this incident.”

“The Redmond Police Department strives to make the city of Redmond the safest community in Oregon,” Kidwell wrote in a news release. “This goal can only be achieved through the community and law enforcement’s continued partnership.”