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BWC video shows Seattle police rescuing 2 women held hostage at knifepoint by suspect

Hostage negotiators spoke on the phone with the knife-wielding man for two hours; SWAT members then broke into the building and rescued two women

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Police said a knife was recovered from the scene.

Seattle Police Department

By Sarah Roebuck
Police1

SEATTLE — The Seattle Police Department released body-worn camera video showing the arrest of a man who was holding two female staff members hostage inside a business.

On July 18, police responded to a residence in the Queen Anne area that serves as the Downtown Emergency Services Center supportive housing facility, FOX 13 reports. According to police, when officers arrived at the scene the suspect implied he had a knife and made threats to harm both women.

The department’s Hostage Negotiation Team, along with SWAT members, arrived at the scene. The negotiator spoke on the phone with the suspect. After about two hours, negotiations broke down. Officers believed the victims were in danger at this point. Body-camera video released Sept. 8 shows SWAT members breaking into the residence to rescue the hostages.

The suspect was arrested for unlawful imprisonment and both hostages were uninjured.

Police said a knife was recovered from the scene.