Woman Charged After Breaking Into Chehalis Home and Attempting to Shoot Homeowner

Posted

A Spanaway woman has been charged with attempted murder after she allegedly broke into a Chehalis residence early Friday morning and pointed a gun at one of the occupants. 

The homeowners, a man and woman, had been sleeping in a downstairs bedroom when the woman was awoken by the sound of someone walking upstairs. She thought “one of the children had gotten up,” but checked the home’s security system from her phone, according to court documents. 

The security footage showed an intruder walking upstairs. The woman woke the man, and together “they ran upstairs, but didn’t find anyone,” according to court documents. They then reportedly heard the front door open, and “ gave chase,” with the woman following the suspected intruder out the front door and the man going out the back. The woman encountered the suspect, who was later identified as 28-year-old Alyssa M. Rupp. Rupp allegedly pointed a semi-automatic pistol at the woman and said “you f---ed up now!” then “tried to pull the slide back and chamber a round, but was unable to do so,” according to court documents. 

Chehalis Police Officers who investigated the scene suspected that Rupp hit the magazine release button while she was trying to load the bullets into the chamber, according to court documents.

An officer later reloaded the magazine and test fired the gun, noting that “the gun fired and cycled without any problem.” 

The male homeowner reportedly heard the commotion and ran around the house, to see Rupp pointing the gun at the woman. He tackled Rupp, grabbed the gun out of her hand and tossed it out of the way, according to court documents. The woman called 911 and the man held Rupp on the ground until the Chehalis police arrived at approximately 5:30 a.m. 

The male homeowner stepped back as soon as officers arrived and Rupp got up, according to court documents. She reportedly refused orders to get back on the ground and allegedly told officers to shoot her. 



When she continued not to follow officers’ commands, a Chehalis officer deployed his Taser and took Rupp into custody, according to court documents. 

Officers located a black and tan semi-automatic pistol, along with a magazine and two bullets that fit the gun. Officers also found a backpack that the male homeowner identified as his, reportedly telling officers that it had been in his brother’s car along with a garage door opener to his garage. Officers suspect Rupp had used the garage door opener to gain access to the house.  

Rupp was booked into the Lewis County Jail at 6:15 a.m. on May 14 and has been charged with one count each of attempted first-degree murder, first-degree burglary, second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm and resisting arrest. Both attempted-first degree murder and first-degree burglary carry maximum penalties of life in prison and up to $50,000 in fines. 

“This is as bad as it gets in Lewis County without somebody winding up dead,” said Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Brad Meagher at Rupp’s preliminary appearance in Lewis County Superior Court on May 14. Judge James W. Lawler granted Meagher’s request for a $500,000 bail amount. “I’m finding that there is a threat to community safety,” said Lawler. 

Rupp’s next court appearance is an arraignment hearing scheduled for Thursday, May 20.