Police rescue children from second-story window after domestic violence situation in Monroe

MONROE, Wash. - Police officers rescued two children from a second-story window during a domestic violence response early Saturday morning, the suspect has been arrested.

According to the Monroe Police Department (MPD), at around 1:30 a.m., police received a 911 call from an apartment complex in the 300 block of E Fremont St., just northwest of Al Borlin Park.

According to dispatch, a woman made the first 911 call, but quickly hung up after a man was heard screaming and swearing in the background. Another person nearby called 911 saying they heard people screaming, talking about a gun.

Authorities say officers arrived at the apartment 3 minutes later. When they knocked, a man answered the door, quickly slammed it shut and locked the deadbolt.

Officers say they were able to confirm there was a 6-year-old boy and a 9-year-old girl inside the unit with their mother. Authorities say the officers walked to the backside of the apartment and were able to speak to the children through a second story window. Snohomish Regional Fire and Rescue arrived at the scene, and provided a ladder for officers to climb up and talk to the kids.

They told authorities they were scared, and felt unsafe knowing their father was armed with a knife.

Officers were able to carry both of the kids out of the window safely and unharmed.

The North Sound Metro SWAT team was activated to assist the MPD officers. Authorities say while the suspect waited for the SWAT team to arrive, and after realizing the children had been rescued, he voluntarily surrendered to authorities and was placed into custody.

According to the MPD, officers stayed on scene, waiting for search warrant authorization to obtain the knife and broken cell phone that were supposedly inside the apartment.

The mother was treated by medics, but no injuries were reported.

For anyone who feels like they or someone else may be a victim of domestic violence, help is available. To reach The National Domestic Violence Hotline, call 800-799-7233.