The Mason County Sheriffs Office says they have an arson suspect in custody after he had barricaded himself in a hotel in downtown Shelton Friday. 

The first arson occurred on Wednesday, February 15th at about 2:43 AM, Central Mason Fire and Shelton PD responded to a fully engulfed residential building fire in downtown Shelton, that housed approximately 22 people from a local charitable organization, Gethsemane Ministries. All the residents escaped without injury and were accounted for. Fire investigators advised the cause to be suspicious. 

The second fire occured on February 17th at about 4:14 AM MACECOM received several calls reporting that a large 2-story building in Union, WA was fully engulfed, and its cause is believed to be suspicious as well. Approximately 20 males also housed by Gethsemane Ministries escaped uninjured and are currently working with the Red Cross for housing assistance.

 Friday morning, February 17th, MCSO Detectives began investigating and shortly found probable cause for the suspect, who was believed to be staying at the Shelton Inn, in downtown Shelton. As Detectives attempted to contact the suspect in the second-story room, the suspect began barricading himself by using, what sounded like, power tools to screw the door closed. MCSO negotiators contacted the suspect by phone, where he advised he was agitated and was armed with a firearm. Shelton Police and MCSO units blocked off the area as SWAT units arrived. Negotiators were able to de-escalate the situation and the suspect agreed to come out peacefully without incident. 

 The suspect was then transported to the Mason County Sheriff’s Office to be interviewed by Detectives and was later booked into the Mason County Jail. 

SEATTLE — The Coast Guard rescued two people Sunday who were unable to maneuver their rowboat due to weather conditions in the Hood Canal.

Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound received a report at 6:18 p.m. of two people aboard a rowboat in Hood Canal who were struggling to maneuver their vessel for over two hours due to strong currents and 35–40-knot winds.

Watchstanders directed the launch of a Coast Guard Station Seattle 45-foot Response Boat-Medium boatcrew and a Coast Guard Air Station Port Angeles MH-65 Dolphin helicopter aircrew to assist the mariners in distress.

The aircrew arrived on scene at 7:45 p.m., deployed a rescue swimmer and hoisted both people into the helicopter.

The aircrew transported both people to family members at Bremerton National Airport in stable condition.

The Coast Guard rescued a mariner in distress during a multi-unit response 6 miles west of the Columbia River mouth Friday, Feb. 3. Crews of Station Cape Disappointment and the National Motor Lifeboat School, along with an aircrew of the Advanced Helicopter Rescue School (AHRS), responded to the mariner's distress call.

 This was the first life saved by Petty Officer John "Branch" Walton, a rescue swimmer and student of AHRS. 

The mariner reportedly received minor injuries and was in stable condition when transferred from the Coast Guard' care. After the mariner was released to the care of emergency medical personnel, local authorities notified the Coast Guard that the individual is suspected to have stolen the vessel. 

The Astoria Police Department is leading that investigation.