SWAT Team Successfully Arrests Suspect Ending Hours-Long Standoff

Spokane County Sheriff’s Office SWAT Team members, with the assistance of a K9 Unit, successfully took a defiant suspect into custody after a four-hour standoff.  The suspect was arrested for violating a Domestic Violence Order of Protection and Residential Burglary.      

On October 5, 2024, at approximately 1:15 pm, Spokane County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a reported Domestic Violence Order of Protection violation at a residence on State Hwy. 904, near W. Cameron Road, west of the City of Cheney.  

Deputies, with the assistance of Cheney Police Officers, responded to the location and learned that the suspect, 47-year-old Shawn L. Kostelec, had come out of the residence when the victim came home and started to approach her.   Fearing for her safety, she left the residence and called law enforcement.  She also reported that Kostelec had texted her multiple times over the last couple of days, violating the order.   

Deputies confirmed the DV order and that Kostelec had been served.  The order prevented Kostelec from contacting the victim or going within 1000’ of her residence.  The victim also informed them that there were firearms inside the residence that Kostelec could access.   

Deputies and Officers established a perimeter around the residence and began PA announcements advising Kostelec to surrender, but the announcements and warnings were ignored.  

SWAT, Crisis Negotiators, K9 Units, Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) operators, and additional assets were summoned to assist. 

Deputies continued to give PA announcements and applied for a search warrant while SWAT Team members took over the perimeter.  Negotiators continued to try to contact Kostelec and coax him into peacefully surrendering without success.  

With a valid search warrant, several efforts to gain Kostelec’s compliance were still ineffective.  

At approximately 5:10 pm, Kostelec came outside but remained uncooperative and would not follow commands.  Despite warnings that force would be used to take him into custody if he did not comply, Kostelec remained defiant, and a K9 was deployed to take him into custody.

Kostelec was advised of his rights and agreed to answer questions.  He explained that he had been drinking bourbon all day and that he knew about the protection order but “didn’t care.”  

Kostelec was provided medical treatment prior to being transported and booked into the Spokane County Jail for Violation of a Domestic Violence Protection Order and Residential Burglary.

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This Spokane County Sheriff Office news article "SWAT Team Successfully Arrests Suspect Ending Hours-Long Standoff" was originally found on https://www.spokanecounty.org/CivicAlerts.aspx?CID=7