A fugitive on the run was nabbed by law enforcement after a tense standoff in South Hill, authorities announced. The 37-year-old man, who skipped out on his jury trial for a 2022 shooting incident, was arrested by a task force in a dramatic operation involving the SWAT team.

In a joint effort, the Pierce County Sheriff's deputy and the FBI's South Sound Gang Task Force identified the wanted individual in the 11200 block of 171st St E on Friday. According to the county's blotter post, the standoff escalated quickly when after a home was surrounded and orders to vacate were issued, a woman with a child left, but the fugitive and another man stayed put.

Given the danger posed by the fugitive, the SWAT team was brought in, leading to a standoff that went on for hours. The ordeal ended without incident when two men, one after the other, emerged from the residence. The fugitive, who had been convicted in absentia of unlawful possession of a firearm and attempting to elude police, was taken into custody on his outstanding warrant.

During the trial, the jury didn't see the defendant there who was convicted on April 15. The charges of assault and an additional gun charge were dropped, as reported by the Pierce County Sheriff's Department blog, "due to lack of victim cooperation." In a court appearance today, he was ordered held without bail until his sentencing, slated for May 24.