US >> 911. What is the address of your emergency? >> Hello. Uh I'm currently driving right now. Uh I'm going southwest on 196th Street uh here in Lynwood. Um I just got off the highway, heading to work right now. And uh this lady almost like pushed me off the road and I kind of just pulled up next to her at the light, didn't do nothing, and she flashed a flash pistol out at me. >> Okay. Okay. And which direction are you guys heading on 196? >> Uh, we're heading southwest. >> Okay. And you're on 196. Is that correct? >> Yes, ma'am. Going straight. >> Did she fire the weapon at all? >> Uh, she didn't fire, but she flashed it to me. >> Okay. What kind of vehicle is she in? >> Uh, she's in a silver. I don't know what kind of brand what kind of brand it is. I'm literally right next to her right now. >> Okay. >> She's wearing glasses and a ponytail. I will. Uh Subaru police car just drove right by her. Uh this a Subaru right here. She's wearing glasses. I have the license plate. It is >> After receiving this 911 call on December 2nd, 2024 in Lynwood, Washington. Police moved to locate the suspect's vehicle only to discover that this was no ordinary suspect. >> I got eyes on her. Both hands are up. Driver, with your left hand, open up the door from the outside. Do it now. >> Keep your hands up and step out of the vehicle. Do it now. >> Go ahead, turn around and face away from me. >> With your left hand, pick up the back of your shirt. Go ahead and spin around 360 for me. With your hands up, slowly walks. Walk backwards towards the sound of my voice. Yep. Keep coming. Keep coming. Keep coming. Keep coming. Keep coming. Keep coming. Keep coming. You're doing good. Keep coming. Keep coming. >> Stop right there. >> Get down on your knees. Do not move. Do you understand? All right, I'm going to fix you down real quick. >> All right, I'm going to hand sit you up. >> I'm going to bring you back up here. The suspect is police officer Melinda Lean, a three-year veteran of the Edmonds Police Department, now at the center of attention. >> Is this your vehicle, ma'am? >> It is. Yes. >> Okay. I'm just going to read you something real quick and then I'm going to chat. Okay. Understood. >> All right. So, you have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can be used against you in a court of law. You have the right at this time to talk to a lawyer and have him present with you while being questioned. If you can afford to hire a lawyer, one will be appointed to represent you before questioning if you wish. You can decide at any time to exercise these rights and answer any question, make any statements. Do you understand your rights yet? >> Yes, ma'am. >> Okay. Um, what's going on today? Sounds like there was some issues back there at the traffic light. >> Yep. >> Okay. What's going on? >> So, driving southbound on I5. >> Okay. >> Um, I went to go merge to get off of 196. Um, had my turn signal on for ever. Um, that dude kept trying to get closer and closer. It didn't want to let me in. Um, I was about to miss the exit on 196. Um, I squeezed in between him and the other vehicle, put up my hand, continued driving off of the exit. He started road raging at me, got up on my bumper, flashed his lights at me the entire time we were coming off of the exit at 196. um got up to uh the next as we were coming up to the next stoplight. He swerved over into the left lane really quickly um off of my driver's side. Um got up next to me and then when he got towards the front of my car, he jerked his wheel trying to act like he was like jked me like he was going to come get into my lane. >> Um I slammed on my brakes. He did it again and then when we ended up next to each other at the stoplight, he put up his hands in a like a finger gun motion at me. >> Um, I picked up mine, my pistol. It's in the glove compartment now. Um, picked up my pistol and showed it to him as well. >> Okay. >> And then put it back down. He waved at me >> and then that was it. >> Is it So, where is it now? >> It's in the glove compartment. >> Okay. Okay. All right. She's ready and everything. There you go. >> Hi there. >> Hey, >> would you like my ID? >> Oh, okay. Gotcha. >> Melinda. Okay, gotcha. >> One of the officers then spoke with the victim about the incident. >> So, you know, my body camera's going to be rolling. Okay. >> All right. What's your name? >> Jake. Jake. >> Officer Hendricks. Nice to meet you. Officer Hendricks. Nice to meet you, man. Um, just hang tight. I got to get a statement from you. Um, >> no, no, no. I I uh wasn't even there. It was someone else. >> Get back out. >> Oh, yeah. I mean, someone was there. Let me just grab You were walk me through again, just so I understand. So, you're coming from off the freeway. >> Yeah. Driving off the going southbound. >> Yeah. Taking the first exit. >> And so, that's the exit 196th. Mhm. >> Okay. And like where it merges? >> Yeah. >> Okay. So, you're getting off the freeway. Where was the other vehicle coming? >> Next. >> So, they were already on 196. Got it. Okay. >> And I come in right across. >> So, you merge. >> Yeah. >> Okay. And then >> No, no. She was on the highway with me. Next to me. She l next to me going east >> and she crossed over and hit almost hit the the barricade in the middle of of the deal where it goes. >> She was on the highway. What do you mean? Oh. Oh. Oh, she was she was she would needed to get over to go west. Got it. Okay. >> And and I didn't see no blanker. I really wasn't looking my left >> cuz you think people That's a big pet peeve of mine. People that wait till the last minute to get over. >> Yeah. Okay. So, she gets in front of you. >> Right. Almost hits you. >> Yeah. Almost hit me. >> And then you guys go up to 196. You're stopped at the light. >> Uh stopped at the light next to the jack in the box. >> So that's 40th. >> Yeah. We're going straight. still going on 916 and she turned right at the jack of the box and I kept going straight. >> Okay. And that's where you guys were and and walk me through. >> Okay. So, she was going to go right on 44th >> and you were going to be going west. >> West >> 186. And you look at her. What does she look like? >> Like kind of just went like this, turned around. I like >> Yeah. What are you thinking? Okay. >> You know, and she looked at me and she and I just like okay. You know, just wave it off. Next thing you know, she reaches under either her chair or her side door and grabs out a pistol and puts it up to the window and she went like this >> like pointed at you or >> just pointed out to me and >> so like So, okay. So, cuz I want to get this right. So, you're in your car. >> Yeah. >> Okay. So, wait. So, you be her and I'll be you. >> Sorry. I just want to get this. >> Okay. And I'll get it on camera. So, I'm pretend I'm facing this way. So, right. I'm looking. You're her. >> Uh-huh. >> Okay. Then what? >> You want like this? Go like this. >> So, I go like this. >> Yeah. And then she just >> Yeah. >> reaches down, grabs a pistol, goes like this, and then >> out. Was her window open or >> It was closed. >> Closed. Okay. So, she wouldn't have been able to go >> I mean, >> like like this. >> She went like this. >> Okay. >> You know, kind of deal. >> Okay. Dude, that's >> I I couldn't do anything cuz I was stuck. There was cars in front of me. I just sat there and I was like I literally just put my hands up and I was like, "Well, this is it. This is it." You know, I didn't understand. Hey, can I take you down to do a show up? >> To do a lab, >> a field show up so you can identify the driver. >> Yeah. I I mean, I can identify it right now. >> Yeah. I need to I need to take you there. Yeah. Okay. >> Yeah. Are you able to do that? >> Um, >> can you ask your boss? It's pretty important. Yeah. Well, take that up and and see if you can write. And you can also write while I'm driving. >> All right. Take a look to your right. >> That's her. >> Yeah. >> Yep. >> Lincoln 3, positive ID. >> She flashed it and pointed it. She went up at the window and went like this. And I went like this and I put my hands up like this and she got in the right lane and turned right at the uh on 196 at the um Jack in the Box. >> I I was scared. I literally went like this and I grabbed my phone and called 911 immediately. >> Can you you know anything about guns? >> No. >> Okay. I was trying to figure out what kind of gun it was. >> I mean it was a it was a handheld pistol. It was super small. >> It was a little Okay, so probably not. All right, cool. >> Sorry about that. About what? >> Well, that I just took off. >> Oh, no. >> All right, we're good. Uh, signed it, dated it. All right. Thanks, man. >> Just hang out, right? >> Yeah. >> Sergeant, >> what is that enough or do we need? >> I mean, yeah, it's >> Yes, >> we just needed to make sure whether it was pointed or whether it was just display cuz that's the difference between unlawful display and assault, too. Wow. >> So, >> I mean, neither one of them is good. >> Well, yeah, neither one is good, but one is worse. One, you're going to county and the other one you're probably getting a citation. Um, we've done our thing. We've looked at the the whole totality of the circumstances, the whole bit. Um, at this point the PC is assault two >> for for what? >> For pointing the firearm at >> I didn't point it at him. >> He's saying >> I did not >> I did not point it at him. >> Kind of the the line that we have here is, well, you know as well as I do. Weapons apparently capable of producing bodily harm. Brandishing sold too. >> Sorry. Sorry there. I I'm in the lane. He comes up. He swoops his car towards me. >> He swoops his car towards me again, >> which we all know that vehicles can be used as deadly weapons. >> Okay, he gets up beside me. I finally look over at him. He points finger guns at me. >> He points at me. I picked mine up with my left hand. I'm right-handed. Picked it up. It's in its holster. I just held it up in its holster. Not even in any sort of configuration. I did not point it at him. Just And then put it back down. And then he continued like making hand motions at me. >> Mhm. >> The light turned green. Traffic started going. He's still. So, I pulled into the other lane and I turned north to get away from him. I never pointed it at him. I never held it in a configuration that I could be pointed at him in any way whatsoever. >> Okay. >> He he road raged me the whole way off. I did not make a threatening motion towards him. >> It was it was all a reaction to his road rage towards my vehicle. Like, I wouldn't do that. >> All right. Well, let me with that information, let me talk to my commander, >> please. >> I'll I'll have a chat with him. >> I I I I understand. I I I know. I know. Brand machine. Yep. Absolutely. I up. I should have just kept it right in the door, not even messed with it. But he indicated at me in a threatening motion with the finger guns. That's the only reason I did it. It wasn't unprovoked. It wasn't I didn't I didn't just grab it and point it at him. I didn't flash a gun at him just for the sake of flashing a gun at him. He pointed finger guns at me after he made multiple attempts towards my car like juking towards my car trying to run my make me swerve. I I was not road raging at all. Like I I wouldn't do that. I sure as hell wouldn't point a gun at somebody. Like we all know better. >> Yeah. >> Like I would I would absolutely never do that. >> All right. Sit tight for me for just a second. I'll chat with Had to say my hands are tied. All right. Sorry. I got to do this. Okay. You throw them back for me? >> Yeah. Um, >> please. >> Yes. Yeah. Yeah. >> Thank you. We won't forget those. Any shoulder issues or any reason why you might need two cuffs? And two fingers that side and two fingers on the other side. Not too tight for you. Okay. And two fingers there. Two fingers the other side. We're going to double lock here. Left and double lock right. I would like consent to search your vehicle. Is that something you're willing to provide? >> Is the alternative you're going to take my car? >> You know, I can't tell you that. >> Yeah, it's fine. >> What's that? >> Yes, that's fine. You can search the vehicle. >> Okay. I'm just going to get a consent of search form started and uh we'll go that route. You're going to hang out with Officer Sap who's going to search you. All right. So, type for me. glove box. >> Glove box. >> Yeah. Um and then there is an additional six round magazine uh at the front end of the glove box directly in front of it. >> Front end of the glove box. Got it. Okay. >> Um but that's that's it. There's nothing no other I I know you know, but um that's the only firearm in the vehicle. >> That's the only firearm in the vehicle. >> There there's no other ammunition or any other weapons anywhere else in the vehicle. Just >> Okay. Uh any duty guns or anything? That's No, just it's uh it's my first one. It's Glock 42. >> Glock 42. >> Yeah. Cool. >> Nice. >> Um we got gloves. Got gloves. >> Hey everyone, it's Trent, fire deputy sheriff, patrol sergeant, and canine handler. This is just another example of the potential dangers that come with these road rage incidents. Pointing a firearm at somebody or even displaying it in a threatening way would typically fall under some sort of assault charge because the law views that act as creating a fear of imminent serious injury or death due to the capabilities of a firearm. And in cases with this set of circumstances, law enforcement would definitely be conducting some sort of high-risk traffic stop due to the report of a firearm being utilized during the commission of a crime. After that, everything comes down to articulation and hearing both sides of the story. And even with the suspect claiming that she was responding to a finger gun, the law does not allow you to escalate to a real firearm unless you are facing an actual deadly threat or can properly articulate that fact. And that's why these officers do not agree with the self-defense element that the suspect is trying to convey to them. That being said, officers have to develop probable cause on the street to articulate making an arrest, which is the strong belief that this suspect had committed a crime. However, as we see in this video, just because the suspect is arrested does not mean that a conviction would be secured in court. due to a lack of confidence to be able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt to a jury, for example, that that crime had been committed. >> The prosecuting attorney for the city of Lynwood said they will not be filing criminal charges against Melinda Lean. After meeting with both parties, the city said it could not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Lean was not acting in self-defense.