Standoff with armed man ends safely in Oak Harbor

A tense standoff with an armed man came to a peaceful end Friday afternoon near Oak Harbor.

The incident started about 1:30 p.m. when Island County Sheriff's deputies went to investigate a domestic violence-related stabbing, according to a news release issued Monday.

When the deputies attempted to contact the suspect, Tracy Rosenbaum, he refused to cooperate and barricaded himself inside a motor home with several weapons, one of which was a loaded, sawed-off 30.06 rifle.

"It was a lethal-looking weapon," Sheriff Mark Brown said Monday. "It was a standoff that lasted over three hours."

Deputies knew Rosenbaum from past contact. On a prior arrest, he had been wearing body armor when taken into custody.

Brown estimated more than a dozen law enforcement personnel were involved, including the "Hard Entry Arrest Team" from his department, assisted by the Oak Harbor Police Department Special Response Unit and its armored command vehicle, and the State Patrol responded for area containment.

The HEAT team supervisor, Island County Detective Sgt. Mike Beech, authorized the use of a "throw phone" to establish contact with Rosenbaum. The team's hostage negotiator, Deputy Neider, assisted by Oak Harbor Officer Dickinson, communicated with Rosenbaum for over an hour, ultimately convincing him to surrender, ending the standoff without having to use deadly force.

Rosenbaum was taken into custody and booked into Island County Jail for investigation of second degree assault, felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a short-barreled rifle, and two outstanding warrants. He is currently in custody with bail set at $100,000.

"I am very thankful for the efforts of those officer at the scene who did an outstanding job of defusing a very hostile situation," Brown said. "I would say we are all very fortunate that this violent beginning did not have to result in an otherwise violent end."

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