The Man Who Escaped Treatment | Seattle News

Seattle News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Jul 23, 2026 · 1m

A man with a violent history and a documented psychotic disorder escaped psychiatric care—only to resurface weeks later in a terrifying 15-hour standoff where he and his son allegedly kidnapped two U.S. Forest Service biologists with an assault rifle and zip ties. Despite being ordered to a psychiatric hospital after a 2022 arrest involving threats, fireworks, and multiple guns, delays in the overwhelmed system and COVID-19 protocols led to his release without treatment. His son called him unstable, convinced others were out to destroy him—especially after his ex-wife’s death. Now, both men…