Edmonds and Lynnwood police officers had to use a taser earlier this week to subdue a man they suspected of casing a home for a possible burglary near College Place Middle School, according to our news partners at My Edmonds News.

The departments released the following information about the incident:

On Sept. 25, at 4:49 p.m., Edmonds police officers were dispatched to a reported trespasser in the backyard of a residence in the 7400 block of 210th St SW. The homeowner believed the suspect may have been preparing to burglarize her home. The suspect was a 42-year-old white male, 6’01” tall weighing 250 pounds.  As it turned out, an alert Lynnwood police sergeant had been watching the same suspicious man after he had been observed earlier behind a nearby elementary and middle school.

Students on the playfield of the middle school noticed the suspicious man so they notified their coach.  When the coach went to investigate, the man was observed with his pants pulled down around his knees although he was still wearing underwear.  Lynnwood police officers quickly responded to the area where they did locate the suspect, but the man was not doing anything illegal at that time. However, Lynnwood police did order the man away from the school property.

While the Edmonds woman was calling 911 about the trespasser at her home, the Lynnwood police sergeant watched the man as he walked around the back of the residence. Given that the woman’s 911 call was now being dispatched, police officers responded to the backyard of her home and observed the suspect standing outside the kitchen window. When the man noticed the officers approaching him, he squared off in a fighting stance, with his fists up, and challenged them to fight. Faced with this obvious threat, the officers drew their pepper spray and ordered the man to stop.  Instead, the suspect informed them that pepper spray wouldn’t work and suggested they use their guns.  Since the suspect was advancing on the officers they deployed a taser, which resulted in his immediate compliance.

The 42-year-old transient was taken into custody and transported to an area hospital as a precautionary measure following the taser application. Once it was confirmed that he sustained no significant injury the man was booked into the Snohomish County Jail. Criminal charges include felony possession of illegal drugs.