Armed Standoff at Priest Rapids Dam Ends with Help of K9 Chewbacca

A Mattawa man is in custody after an armed standoff at the Priest Rapids Dam Saturday around noon.

Kyle Foreman with the Grant County Sheriff's Office says 33-year-old Bobby Tahmalwash first pointed a gun at two contractors at the dam before driving away on State Route 243 and hiding behind some apple bins.

Eventually the suspect drove back across the dam and began firing the rifle at a nearby hillside, prompting deputies to call in the Moses Lake Regional Tactical Response Team.

Security cameras at the dam and drones then reportedly observed Tahmalwash driving around the Yakima County side of the dam, near the Wanapum Village. He was allegedly seen getting out of his car multiple times with a gun in his hand.

"At one point it appeared that the suspect was going to drive back over the dam. The tactical response team used one of their armored personnel carriers to block his path." explained Foreman, "The suspect then collided with the armored personnel carrier. Nobody was injured and there was very minimal damage to either vehicle."

The suspect got out of his car and was then taken down by Grant County K9 Chewbacca. Tahmalwash was taken into custody and faces two counts of first degree assault with a firearm.