Felony Assault 2/DV Suspect Arrested After Brief Standoff In Kelso. - 09/28/26

On 09/28/26 at about 0239 hours Longview Police officers responded to a domestic violence assault that occurred Longview.  The suspect, later identified as Juan Artemio Castillo, had reportedly feloniously assaulted his girlfriend, and made threats to "shoot up the place".  Castillo also allegedly made threats to subjects on scene with a knife.  Castillo then fled from the scene in Longview in a vehicle.  Kelso police officers entered the license plate of the vehicle Castillo fled in, into the department's automated license plate reader camera system (ALPR).  Within thirty minutes, Kelso officers were notified that Castillo's vehicle had been detected by an ALPR camera entering Kelso at approximately 0314 hours.  Kelso Officers located the vehicle within 5 minutes after the ALPR notification, parked unoccupied at a residence at 1101 N 1st Ave in Kelso.  Kelso officers, with assistance from the Longview police department, Washington State Patrol, and the Cowlitz County Sheriff's office then set up containment around the residence, and began PA announcements ordering the suspect to come out of the residence and surrender.  The suspect emerged from the residence several times, but was not compliant, and retreated back into the residence refusing commands to exit and surrender.  The Lower Columbia SWAT team was activated, and responded to the scene.   At around 0520 hours Castillo exited the residence and surrendered to officers on scene.  He was arrested without incident and booked into the Cowlitz County Jail for Assault 2nd/DV, Felony Harassment/DV, Obstructing, Resisting Arrest, as well as a fugitive arrest warrant.