Arrested: Man with machete seen trying to attack walker on Puyallup trail

PUYALLUP, Wash. — A man with a machete who was seen trying to attack someone on a Puyallup trail sparked a search that included police officers, a K-9, a chopper and firefighters.

It started on Tuesday afternoon when Puyallup Police officers were dispatched to the River Walk Trail, where witnesses reported seeing a man in his 20s with a machete and an axe or hatchet, according to the police department.

Witnesses said the suspect was trying to attack someone on the trail and was also “lunging” at other people and following them as they passed.

He was last seen heading down the riverbank as officers were arriving.

Police immediately posted officers around the area.

Central Pierce Fire and Rescue responded with swift water resources. The King County Sheriff’s Office Guardian One helicopter also helped search using heat signature technology, and a Puyallup Police K-9 team and officers combed the area on the ground.

Eventually, the man was found on the riverbank and still had one of the weapons seen on the trail, according to Puyallup Police.

No one was hurt.

The man was taken to the Pierce County Jail and booked on two charges of first-degree assault and felony warrants.

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