A Lynnwood police rookie barely had time to break in his uniform before landing a major arrest, tracking down an armed domestic-violence suspect on his first day on the job, according to police. The victim told officers she had been strangled, knocked unconscious and threatened with a handgun, and witnesses reported the suspect was armed as he took off from the scene. Working with K9 Cannon, the new officer found the man hiding in a dense blackberry bush and took him into custody after giving repeated commands to surrender.
According to MyNorthwest, witnesses told officers they saw the suspect put a handgun into a bag before fleeing. When officers later searched the area, they found a handgun sitting on top of that bag and recovered five magazines nearby. Authorities say the suspect gave himself up only after K9 Cannon and responding officers repeatedly ordered him to come out of the brush.
How the search unfolded
The Lynnwood Police Department says the call initially came in as an active domestic-violence incident, which triggered an immediate neighborhood search and the deployment of K9 Cannon to assist with tracking. Officers spread out through nearby yards and thick brush, methodically checking potential hiding spots while Cannon followed the scent trail.
According to the department, the track led into heavy blackberry growth, where Cannon located the suspect concealed in the thicket. Responding officers were then able to detain the man without any reported injuries and secured the area so detectives could process the scene and collect evidence.
What officers recovered and the charges
Per MyNorthwest, officers recovered the handgun and five magazines at the scene and arrested the suspect. He was booked on multiple counts, including second-degree domestic-violence assault with strangulation, felony harassment for making threats to kill, interfering with domestic-violence reporting and third-degree theft. The department has said that additional weapons-related charges are still being reviewed as the investigation continues.
Rookie's first shift and the K9 unit
The rookie was identified by the department as Officer Trudeau, and the incident unfolded during his very first day on patrol. The Lynnwood Police Department publicly praised how the call ended, summing it up with a dry assessment, calling it “not a bad first day for Officer Trudeau.”
K9 Cannon, who helped end the search, is no stranger to successful tracks in Lynnwood. The Lynnwood Times has documented a previous case in 2025 in which Cannon helped officers locate a different suspect in wooded terrain, underscoring the dog’s track record as a key part of the department’s K9 unit.
Legal notes
The listed offenses are felonies that will be referred to the Snohomish County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office for review and potential filing. That office also provides victim-witness services in domestic-violence cases. Investigators say possible weapons charges are still under review, and prosecutors will determine the final slate of charges after examining all of the evidence.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact Lynnwood police through the department’s media center or tipline.
