Police and Sheriff’s deputies found themselves in a standoff Monday morning, April 20, in front of the Linn County Courthouse in downtown Albany, which ended after about four hours with the arrest of a suspect, Albany police said.
According to police, at approximately 9:36 a.m. the Albany Police Department responded to a wanted subject identified as Alan William Dude, 43, of Albany in front of the Linn County Courthouse.
Dude was parked in a vehicle in the 300 block of SW 4th Ave.
According to police, he had failed to show up for a Linn County Circuit Court pre-trial hearing that was scheduled to begin Monday. Upon contact with Dude, responding officers saw what appeared to be a firearm in his hand.
Officers immediately established a secure perimeter and initiated safety protocols to protect the public. Surrounding streets were closed and the Linn County Courthouse, Albany City Hall and surrounding businesses were restricted and locked down while the Linn Benton Regional SWAT Team responded to the scene.
Crisis negotiators engaged in conversation with Dude, who is described in court documents as standing 6-3 and weighing 300 pounds, in an effort to bring the incident to a peaceful resolution.
After an extended unsuccessful negotiation, Dude began to reach for a firearm and Linn Benton Regional SWAT Team members used less-than-lethal munitions to subdue him, police said.
He was taken into custody at 1:27 p.m. without injury to the public, law enforcement personnel. Dude was treated for minor injuries at the scene by the Albany Fire Department.
The streets, businesses and public buildings were reopened for normal traffic at approximately 1:50 pm.
According to Linn County court documents, Dude had been scheduled to go to trial later this week on multiple rape, sexual abuse and assault charges involving two alleged victims, one a minor. This week’s trial, according to records, was the sixth effort to bring Dude to trial after five other cancellations or postponements in a case that began with his arraignment in June of 2023.