Tri-Cities man shot by police after charging with knife makes bizarre claims at hospital

The Kennewick man shot after allegedly charging at a police officer with a knife in an apartment building parking lot, believed he had killed his 5-year-old daughter.

Dillon Winters, 27, was at the hospital when he said he used a shotgun to kill the girl he had custody of. She was not hurt.

But those delusions, his suicidal thoughts and willingness to act on them, led Deputy Prosecutor Tyler Grandgeorge to ask for him to be held in lieu of $500,000 bail.

Winters made his first appearance by video in Benton County Superior Court on Monday. Jail staff brought him to the booking area, where a bandage was visible on his left forearm.

He was booked into the jail Friday afternoon on suspicion of first-degree assault for allegedly charging at officers Kyler Clary and Tyson Alvarez with a knife.

Deputy Prosecutor Tyler Grandgeorge asked for $500,000 bail pointing out that Winters appeared to have a mental illness that led him to first cut his wrists, then charge at officers and finally to confess to a murder that didn’t happen.

“All that does speak to is an individual that has not only acted upon suicidal ideation ... but also seems to be having delusions of violence against family members, including the daughter who appears to be under his sole care and custody,” Grandgeorge said. “From the state’s perspective this is an individual that represents a clear and present danger to himself and to the public.”

While family members are preparing to hire a private attorney, they relied on a public defender for Monday’s hearing. The attorney, Katherine Bohnet, did not make an argument.

Judge Joe Burrowes said he was also concerned about what Winters may do if he was released, and considered a larger bail. While he agreed to the bail amount, before he can be released he will need to speak to a mental health professional.

That person can begin procedures to hold him in treatment if he is a threat to himself or others.

Apartment lot shooting

Court documents provide more details about the Thursday night shooting at the Arlo apartments on 10th Avenue.

A resident called 911 about 10 p.m. to report that Winters was outside of an apartment and had cut his arm. The caller said Winters had a towel over his arm and was trying to kill himself, Officer Cody Albertin wrote in his affidavit of probable cause.

Kennewick firefighters were dispatched to treat the man, and police were sent to help. Clary and Alvarez arrived first, and Albertin heard over the radio “the male was armed with a knife and now confronting officers,” he said in court documents.

When Albertin pulled into the parking lot, he could see Winters with a large kitchen knife in the parking lot of the “E” building. Clary and Alvarez were in front of Winters trying to talk with him.

Albertin grabbed his less-than-lethal baton gun and moved toward the officers. Winters was between him and the two other officers, so he couldn’t quite reach them.

“I positioned myself near a parked vehicle ... while Officer Clary continued speaking with Winters,” Albertin wrote. “I called out to Winters stating something to the affect of ‘Drop the knife, police do not want to hurt you.’”

Clary continued to talk to the man, and since he seemed to have some rapport, Albertin didn’t interject. He heard Clary say he could see Winters was hurt and needed to be evaluated by medical professionals. Police later found deep cuts on this left wrist.

“Mid-conversation between Officer Clary and Winters, I observed Winters charge/begin to sprint at both Officers Clary and Alverez, still wielding the knife in his hands,” Albertin said.

Winters disappeared between the cars so Albertin couldn’t use his weapon. He then saw Clary and Alvarez fire at Winters, who was hit once in the left shoulder.

Claims of murder

While Winters was being taken to Kadlec Regional Medical Center, he began to confessing to murders. He told Albertin and a paramedic “I’ve killed seven people in the last few years.”

He was joined by a Pasco officer at the hospital, and they learned that Winters had custody of his 5-year-old daughter. They didn’t find the girl at Winter’s apartment .

The two officers then asked where she was, and he said “‘dead’ and he had murdered her this evening. Winters went on to make several vague statements of how this alleged murder occurred, stating he shot his daughter with a 10-gauge shotgun, while she was in his vehicle.”

They later learned the girl was with her grandparents. Attorneys said the child was still with the grandparents during Monday’s hearing.

This story was originally published March 25, 2025 at 5:00 AM.