Bail has been set at $1 million in Clallam County Superior Court for a man calling himself “the Messiah,” who allegedly fired dozens of rounds the previous morning toward law enforcement officers after barricading himself with a rifle inside a residence near Carlsborg Road.
Justin Cox, 37, of Sequim refused to appear in Clallam County Superior Court for his initial appearance on Wednesday, June 18, and again on Friday, June 20. Corrections officers were unable to get him to appear via Zoom as well.
Corrections deputy Mark Raemer testified to Judge Simon Barnhart on June 18 that when he told Cox it was time to appear in court, he replied that Cox was not his name and that he was “the Messiah.”
In court via Zoom on June 20, Raemer told Judge Brent Basden that Cox again refused to leave his cell and demanded that he be called “Yahweh” or “Jesus.”
A mental evaluation was ordered for Cox. It is scheduled to take place on Thursday, July 3, the same day as his arraignment hearing on multiple charges.
Cox was arrested around 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, June 17 after law enforcement responded at 8:04 a.m. to a report of an individual banging on business windows and behaving erratically. The man — Cox — later entered a residence on the 200 block of Village Lane, according to court documents.
Clallam County Sheriff’s Office deputies report they knocked at the residence and a resident came to the door to tell deputies everything was okay and that he could calm Cox.
Inside, deputies could see Cox in the background pick up an AK-47 assault rifle. Fearing for their safety, they retreated to enlist more support, court documents state.
Deputies report that on a June 9 call for service, Cox told deputies he would destroy them and he was also upset about being called “Justin” and that his name was “Jesus.”
During the June 17 incident, deputies learned Cox was found guilty of assault in the second degree in 2012, a crime that prevents him from legally possessing a firearm.
The Peninsula Crisis Response Team was activated with crisis negotiators, two armored vehicles and more services to maintain a perimeter around the residence with support from Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Port Angeles Police Department, Sequim Police Department and Clallam County Fire District 3.
Nearby residents were asked to either leave their homes or shelter in place, while the public was alerted to the situation through the Everbridge mass notification system.
At an unspecified time, the resident left the house. Negotiations were attempted with Cox but Sheriff’s Office staff report he fired 25-30 bullets that struck the armored vehicles and two nearby houses.
After non-lethal chemical munitions were deployed, Cox ran out of the home’s back door and was arrested. No injuries were reported.
Court appearances
Cox has not yet been formally charged, but he tentatively faces six counts of first-degree assault against law enforcement and second-degree assault against law enforcement; death threats/harassment; first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm; two counts of reckless endangerment; first-degree malicious mischief; resisting arrest; and obstruction of a law enforcement officer.
Michele Devlin, Clallam County chief criminal deputy prosecuting attorney, said on June 18 that there are likely to be more charges as multiple law enforcement officers were put in danger, and one of the houses shot at had three children and an adult sheltering in place.
His information was filed on Friday, June 20 and Basden reaffirmed Cox’s competency evaluation to Western State Hospital at 9 a.m. July 3.
Basden said Cox’s “refusal to come to court may be driven by mental health issues that they hope to resolve with (the mental) evaluation.”
He maintained the $1 million bail.
Harry Gasnick, assigned to defend Cox through the Clallam County Public Defender’s Office, said June 18 he would attempt to speak with Cox before his hearing to determine his wishes for representation and if he wants reconsideration for the bail amount.
He also did not challenge the prosecuting attorney’s office’s recommendation of a competency evaluation for Cox, but he wanted the filing of information to occur first to ensure legal procedure.
Devlin said Cox’s conduct is unacceptable and the $1 million bail was so high because of his likelihood to commit another offense, his history of escapes and threats to law enforcement.
She said eight deputies had to work together to get Cox through the booking process on Tuesday, June 17, and she thinks it would be easiest to have him examined at Western State Hospital for competency rather than in the Clallam County Jail.
Cox has already been deemed incompetent, restored to competence and released earlier this year, according to his defense attorney on June 18 Harry Gasnick.
He also has pending charges of theft of a motor vehicle and malicious mischief in Whatcom County, Devlin said, and he has seven prior felonies, 14 gross misdemeanors and three misdemeanors, plus an unsealed minor arrest history.
Multiple law enforcement officers were in the courtroom for Cox’s hearing on June 18, including Clallam County Sheriff Brian King and Chief Criminal Deputy Amy Bundy, and Sequim Police Chief Mike Hill. Some appeared again on June 20.
Sequim Gazette photo by Emily Matthiessen/ Justin Cox, 37, of Sequim was taken via Olympic Ambulance to Olympic Medical Center for medical evaluation before he was booked into Clallam County Jail on June 17. He awaits formal charges after he allegedly shot at law enforcement and nearby residents with an AK-47.
