Sherrad J. Lahd is arrested and charges are filed in Dayton 'active shooter' case

DAYTON—Law enforcement from across the region, including the Walla Walla SWAT team, descended on Dayton on the morning of April 25, in response to a report of an active shooter in the vicinity of Columbia County Transportation offices at 507 West Cameron Street in Dayton.

No firearms were ultimately found at the scene but Sherrad J. Lahd was later arrested and faces charges of second degree assault and unlawful discharge of a laser, for causing fear of imminent danger.

According to a Columbia County Sheriff’s Office press release, dispatch received a 9-1-1 call at 5:33 a.m. on the morning of April 25, describing a white male subject wearing a tactical vest and wielding knives, who had pointed a rifle armed with a laser pointer at their vehicle.

The suspect reportedly entered a trailer located in Cameron Court trailer park at 522 West Cameron Street. Officers from

The Columbia County Transportation Office was locked down, and several bus runs were canceled as the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, Washington State Patrol, Walla Walla County Sheriff’s Office deputies and the Walla Walla Police Department Tactical Team responded to secure the area.

According to the release, people in the surrounding area told police they had not heard any gun shots. When a female and four children later exited the trailer where the suspect was located, they told police that there were no firearms in the house, no shots had been fired and they did not feel threatened. They also told authorities that the suspect was asleep in the residence.

When the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant on the residence, the suspect was taken into custody at approximately 1 p.m. without incident and no firearms were found in the residence, according to the release.

Columbia County Prosecutor Dale Slack filed charges of Assault in the Second Degree (with a deadly weapon) and Unlawful Discharge of a Laser in the First Degree against the suspect, Sherrad J. Lahd.

Lahd allegedly approached a Columbia County Transportation vehicle that is used for private employee transportation to Little Goose Dam and pointed a crossbow with a laser sight directly at the driver of the vehicle who legitimately feared for his safety, Slack said.

Lahd was arrested and held in the Columbia County Jail. Arraignment is scheduled for May 8.