Olympia Police Department (OPD) charged a man with multiple charges, including four counts of reckless endangerment, after an incident involving a firearm on the night of July 4.
OPD officers responded to a call about a man with a gun at the 2500 block of 27th Avenue SW.
The suspect, identified as James Erlandson, allegedly approached a woman and her three children while displaying a handgun.
The victim reported that she and her children were in a friend’s house and were lighting small fireworks when the suspect approached them, “reached into his front waistband and pulled out a firearm, pointed it at her and then pointed it into the sky.”
She shouted for help, her children were brought into the house and other people there intervened, and one man stated that he had tackled the suspect to the ground, smacking the gun out of his hand before the responding officers had arrived.
The victim stated to authorities that she feared for her life and her children’s lives, believing the suspect intended to shoot them.
Police recovered the .22 Caliber Browning Long Rifle Pistol from the scene.
Witnesses corroborated the victim's account, noting that the suspect had been seen arguing with the victim and others before the confrontation.
Officers located the suspect at his home, where he was arrested wearing blood-stained shorts, presumably due to his fight with the people at the house where the incident happened.
“James stated that he was in his house when he heard fireworks from the neighborhood. James stated that he was already angry about them because he had asked his neighbors across the street to stop lighting fireworks off because his dogs and they told him no. Once James heard the other fireworks, he stated that he grabbed his handgun, walked down the road, pulled the gun out from his waistband, pointed it in the air and fired one or two rounds,” stated the OPD responding officers during their interrogation with the suspect.
When the suspect was asked about the firearm, he told the officer that before the physical altercation, he had thrown it onto the ground, and that he had not pointed it at anyone directly.
The 75-year-old suspect claimed he did not intend to harm anyone. The officer stated in the police report that “James stated that he did not mean to harm anyone and did not have any intentions to harm anyone but was mad about the fireworks and his thoughts got away from him.”
Erlandson was charged by the Thurston County Prosecuting Attorney with second-degree assault while armed with a deadly weapon, unlawful discharge of a firearm, and four counts of reckless endangerment.
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KatAshe
If I’m not mistaken, isn’t it illegal to discharge fireworks in Lacey, Tumwater and Olympia?
Monday, July 22 Report this
CrazyGranny
If the cops would do their jobs and arrest the people illegally shooting off the fireworks and confiscate the rest of their fireworks, this old man wouldn't have had to try to do their job for them!!!!! I feel the same way he did - I have PTSD and my little Service Dog lay in my arms, shivering and shaking while I did the same, for THREE WHOLE DAYS around my neighborhood - and where were the cops?!? Stuffing their faces with donuts, I guess, because NOT ONE showed up around here to do something about the ILLEGAL fireworks!!!!! DON'T MAKE A LAW AND THEN NOT ENFORCE IT - AND THEN GET MAD WHEN SOMEONE DECIDES TO TRY TO DO YOUR JOB FOR YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tuesday, July 23 Report this
TheGreatAnon
At the risk of sounding like a gun nut but in the spirit of accuracy, the pistol pictured appears to be a Browning Challenger. It is not a Browning Long Rifle Pistol. Long Rifle referees to the .22 caliber cartridge it uses and is not the model of the pistol pictured.
That said, what the elderly man is accused of doing is are serious crimes. I think he should receive a fine, community service, probation and any remaining firearms removed from his possession. While I whole heartedly sympathize with the accused, firearms are for putting holes in things, not to intimidate your scofflaw neighbors.
Tuesday, July 23 Report this
MrsBrown
For those of defending this 75 year old man. I think it's important to know that the 3 children he pointed a gun at and then fired in the air in front of, were ages 6, 3 and 11 months old. And the "fireworks" that had him and his dogs SO upset, were poppers that you throw on the ground and little noise makers purchased from inside Safeway.
I know all of these FACTS because victims are my family and all of you justifying the violent behavior of this very grown man are ridiculous. I'm also very surprised that these extremely pertinent details aren't included is this article as I'm absolutely certain that they are part of the police report. Instead this article is written in a way to make it look like the man weilding a gun and shooting in the air in front of a yard full of small children a 4th of July celebration, is justified in his actions, because his "dog" was bothered by poppers and noise makers bought at a grocery store not a fireworks stand.
Yeah my daughter told him no they weren't going to stop... because there were NO FIREWORKS! It was a 6 year old and a 3 year old doing poppers.
But yeah, pulling a gun and shooting it is totally reasonable and safe, far safer and a lot more quiet than those poppers and noise makers I bet.
Saturday, July 27 Report this