E-Mail
Print
tool name
closeBELLINGHAM — An overnight standoff between an armed man inside his house and Whatcom County Sheriff’s deputies ended peacefully when he surrendered at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 3.
Christopher D. Rossmiller, 47, came out of the house on the 4700 block of Cable Street unarmed and was arrested on suspicion of two counts of felony harassment. Deputies had surrounded the home since 9 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 2, Undersheriff Carey James said.
Rossmiller was booked into Whatcom County Jail, and will have his bail set at a hearing Thursday in Whatcom County Superior Court.
The standoff began when family members reported to police that Rossmiller had taken too much of his medication and was threatening them, James said.
He remained in the home with handguns, high-powered rifles and ammunition, and told the family members he would shoot anyone on the property, James said.
Sheriff's deputies tried to contact Rossmiller overnight by telephone and shouted to him, but he didn’t respond. At around noon Wednesday, they saw him move inside the house and phoned him again. He answered and agreed to surrender, James said.
Bellingham Police blocked off Cable Street from Geneva Street to Lake Whatcom Boulevard for about 45 minutes, but the street has reopened. They also closed Austin Street from Spring to Desmond streets, but that has also reopened.
Rossmiller was in drug and alcohol treatment programs years ago, according to Whatcom County Superior Court records. He does not have a violent criminal history.
His house is near two schools — Geneva Elementary and Evergreen Christian. Officials at both schools kept in touch with authorities during the standoff but operated the schools normally, as advised by the Sheriff's Office.
A command center had been set up at the Geneva fire station.
-
Contracts Assistant, Financial Services
WESTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY -
Fiscal Analyst 1
WESTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY -
Open Positions
SKAGIT VALLEY HOSPITAL -
LPNs and MAs
Interfaith Community Health Center -
Purchasing Agent
McNett Corp.
@Nyx.CommentBody@