Spanaway, WA – A self-described independent journalist known for filming in public spaces was arrested this month after a series of confrontations across Pierce County, ending with an alleged pepper-spray assault on the Key Peninsula.
According to the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department, the incidents began September 19 when deputies responded to the Lake Spanaway Golf Course for reports of a masked individual filming without permission. Deputies later learned the man was conducting what’s known as a “First Amendment audit,” testing whether public employees would restrict his right to record in public areas.
Over the following weeks, the same journalist reportedly visited the Parkland–Spanaway Precinct to file complaints and the Washington Corrections Center for Women in Gig Harbor, where the facility briefly went into lockdown after he attempted to film inside.
The string of incidents came to a head on October 10, when the suspect allegedly pepper-sprayed two people during an argument while filming on a public easement along the Key Peninsula. Deputies arrested the 39-year-old at his Spanaway home, recovering pepper spray and a loaded firearm. He was booked into the Pierce County Jail on two counts of second-degree assault.
Authorities are advising public employees to remain professional when approached by so-called “First Amendment auditors,” noting that filming in public spaces is legal but confrontations should be avoided.
This article was produced by a journalist and may include AI-assisted input. All content is reviewed for accuracy and fairness.
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