A typical Tuesday morning for 42-year-old Michael Di Marzo quickly became a citywide multi-jurisdictional manhunt for him and what witnesses thought was a assault rifle in his hand. Three schools were locked down and delayed as police scoured the area by ground and air, looking for a man described by a teenage tipster as wearing black clothes and a ski mask.
It wasn’t realized until hours later what was believed to be something along the lines of an AR-15 or AK-47 was more of a AU-15: a 15-inch compact “assault umbrella.” The “ski mask” was a pulled-up black turtle neck sweater paired with a black watch cap.
Di Marzo had no idea he was at the center of the hunt as he continued about his day March 12, visiting his mother, who had been suffering from complications with diabetes, and doing errands around town.
He took his usual bus routes through town and returned home around 2 p.m., walking the rest of the way through his east Olympia neighborhood. That’s when he noticed a helicopter overhead.
“I didn’t know what it was whether police or news or what, but it was circling a lot and seemed to be circling right over me a lot and it was shining this little green light,” Di Marzo said.
Playful and theatrical by nature, Di Marzo gestured his umbrella toward the helicopter. “I can’t believe I did that now,” Di Marzo said. “It really makes me shake every time I think about it.
“I thought it was this oppressive thing; I don’t like how many helicopters fly over anyway.” A neighbor shouted over to Di Marzo, telling him about the situation. He learned more after he got home and checked his message machine.
“The helicopter had followed me all the way down Quince to right above the house then flew off,” Di Marzo said.
It didn’t take long for police to come knocking at his door. Police had seen video footgage of Di Marzo riding the Transit City bus in the morning and had tracked him, Di Marzo said. “That kind of freaked me out,” Di Marzo said.
Roosevelt Elementary School, Reeves Middle School and the Olympia Regional Learning Academy were put on lockdown as police officers searched for Di Marzo. Schools choose to go on lockdown based on the suggestion of officers.
“Typically, we take our cues from law enforcement in these situations,” said Olympia School District spokesperson Rebecca Japhet. “Police officers are in the best position to know exactly what’s happening in and around the area, and we follow them in what they would recommend to best keep our students safe.”