Chase, standoff ends peacefully in Tacoma

TACOMA, Wash. -- A man who led police on a several minute chase through Pierce County, then created a standoff with officers in a Tacoma apartment parking lot has surrendered.

It was just after 12:30 a.m. when Pierce County Sheriff's deputies attempted to take a man into custody after a domestic situation in the Midland area, sand Lt. Jerry Larem with Tacoma police.

A chase began near 85th Street East and McKinley Avenue East and lasted several minutes until the man crashed his car at the west entrance to the West Mall Terrace Apartments on S. Pine Street in Tacoma.

The man then pulled out what appeared to be a gun and held it to his head, threatening suicide. He also claimed he had a bomb in his backpack, Larem said.

Officers evacuated the nearby apartments and a standoff ensued.

The standoff lasted about an hour, ending just after 2 a.m. with the man surrendering to officers. No one was hurt.

Officers later determined the man's "weapon" was a toy plastic gun, Larem said.

Officers brought in a bomb squad to make sure there were no explosives and none were found.