By Ann Duan
The Seattle Times
SNOHOMISH COUNTY, Wash. — Newly released drone footage captured Snohomish County sheriff’s deputies rescuing a 63-year-old man in crisis from his burning home east of Monroe.
Deputies responded to a suspicious circumstance call around 7:25 a.m. Aug. 17, when a man apparently having a mental health episode announced he was armed and might have shot someone inside his home.
| SPECIAL REPORT: Find the hidden gaps in your agency’s logistics readiness
Authorities came to believe the man was hallucinating about the intruders.
When deputies arrived in the 10100 block of Woods Lake Road, a neighbor informed them they heard multiple gunshots coming from that area the night before. Deputies also reported hearing multiple gunshots in the home.
The man then apparently set the home on fire and continued shooting while deputies were on scene, according to the sheriff’s office. Deputies used a drone to locate the man and assess the rapidly deteriorating circumstances, according to the sheriff’s office.
Aerial footage released Monday shows smoke rolling from the roof of the burning house as four deputies on the ground lift the man headfirst out of a window. He was taken to Providence Regional Medical Center in Everett for a medical evaluation and an involuntary mental health hold.
The Snohomish County fire marshal’s office was investigating how the fire started, said Emmy Duros , deputy chief of Snohomish County Fire District 5.
The man was alone inside the house, and no injuries were reported.
© 2026 The Seattle Times. Visit www.seattletimes.com.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
