Two arrested after domestic violence standoff

A SWAT officer responds to a domestic violence call that turned into a standoff in the Hamilton Heights neighborhood on Sunday. Police later found a gun after searching the home that was involved. (ZACHARY KAUFMAN/The Columbian)

Two men were arrested after a domestic violence call brought some 30 police officers, including the SWAT Team, to the Hoffman Heights neighborhood Sunday. The incident lasted more than five hours.

A caller at 8:34 a.m. told a 911 center dispatcher that there was a disturbance in front of a house at 8405 N.E. 39th Ave. involving a man and a woman, and that one was armed with a handgun.

Officers responded by 8:39 a.m.

Negotiations for eight people — three women and five men — to come out of the house lasted more than five hours, said Sgt. Mike Cooke of the Clark County Sheriff's Office. The scene was not cleared until after 3 p.m., when a search warrant was served and officers found a handgun in the house, Cooke said.

Arrested were Utomi O. Odum, 25, of Vancouver on suspicion of kidnapping, fourth-degree assault/domestic violence and an unrelated warrant; and David Anthony Zimmerman, 24, of Portland on a warrant out of Lewis County. Addresses were not available for the men.

The victim was a 24-year-old Vancouver woman whose name was not released. She appeared to have a cut on her face but was not seriously hurt, Cooke said.

Upon arriving, Cooke said he negotiated with a man who was at a second story window. He refused to come out, Cooke said.

Soon after, two women left the house.

Over a period of about 90 minutes, three men came to the open window and refused to leave the house, Cooke said.

At that point, the Southwest Washington Regional SWAT Team was activated.

About 10 a.m., the first of the three men came out and was taken into custody without incident. About 30 minutes later, two other men came out.

Eventually, all eight came out.

At one point, Cooke said he was given information that a man and woman still were in the house. He said they did not respond to repeated verbal PA speaker announcements.

At one point, neighbors heard: police say, "I do not want you to get hurt."

The SWAT team then deployed a series of flash bang grenades. Then, the two came out.

Cooke said the last woman to leave the home was involved in a domestic disturbance with one of the men.

All of the people in the house denied any knowledge of a gun being involved in the incident. But a gun and knife both were found in the house, Cooke said.

The house has a for sale sign in front and neighbors said they believed the house is being rented.

Clark County property records indicate the house is owned by Nick Manessiotis. The neighborhood is about five blocks northwest of the intersection of 78th Street and St. Johns Road.

At least three neighbors said they have noticed much traffic at the house in the past four months.

In front of his well-kept house on the street, John Wilson said, "This is the most excitement — trouble — we've had in five years. Neighborhood's so quiet you can hear a pin drop."

His son, John Jr., 17, perched on the rooftop to get a view of the scene about five houses away.

Another neighbor, John Moore, said, "It's a nice neighborhood. We never have anything like that.

"You know it's ironic, a deputy lives right there," he said pointing to a neighboring house.

Moore said that about 10:45 a.m., he found his street nearly blocked by police and fire vehicles.

"I said, Hey, I just want to go to church.'"

As for police cars, Moore said, "I counted 19."

Cooke of the sheriff's office said of the early going: "They refused to cooperate. Nobody wanted to come out."

"They wanted to play games about coming out."

He said that one person refused to come out because of a fear of handcuffs.
So Cooke said he would not handcuff the man but would simply use plastic ties. The man then came out.