Nine white suspects were taken into custody early Saturday morning after they allegedly used racial slurs and then assaulted a black disc jockey at a tavern in unincorporated Lynnwood, the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office said.

According to Sheriff’s Office spokesman Lt. Jeff Brand, sheriff’s office deputies along with police from Everett and Lynnwood responded at 12:40 a.m. to reports of a fight at the Rec Room Tavern in the 14900 block of Highway 99.

Initial reports stated there were 15-20 people inside the tavern fighting and shots had been fired, Brand said, although the reports of gunfire have not yet been confirmed

According to witnesses, the suspects — all white — came into the bar and began harassing the black disc jockey, using racial slurs during the incident. It was also reported that the disc jockey was assaulted and some of his equipment was damaged during the fight, Brand said. The victim was transported to a local hospital for non-life threatening injuries.

As deputies were responding, the suspects were leaving the tavern in vehicles. While some units remained on the scene to investigate, other units initiated a search to locate the suspects, Brand said.

A county sergeant stopped one suspect vehicle, occupied by six adults, and took those people into custody. Additional suspects in another vehicle were taken into custody by Lynnwood police. In all, nine adults were arrested on charges of malicious harassment, assault, malicious mischief and driving under the influence of intoxicants.

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