Man arrested for threatening Walla Walla police after dog found with snout taped shut
By Griffin Beach on Saturday, October 3rd, 2026 in Columbia Basin News Columbia Basin Top Stories
WALLA WALLA – Walla Walla police arrested a man Wednesday on animal cruelty and threatening to kill charges after finding a dog with its snout taped shut.
A release from WWPD said they responded to a report of animal abuse on Melrose Street Wednesday morning, finding a dog struggling to breath because its snout had been taped shut by electrical tape. Officers then took the dog to a veterinarian.
That evening dispatch received a call from a local bar who said Joseph Drake, 41, of Walla Walla, who had been identified as the dogs owner, was at the bar telling patrons that he was going to track down police officers and shoot them. Officers said multiple witnesses at that bar corroborated the report.
At 8 p.m. another call came in, this time from a restaurant that said Drake had asked an employee how they’d feel “if a bunch of cops got killed that night.”
WWPD had also heard from other people that said Drake contacted that he was homicidal and suicidal. Those people also said Drake sent them photos of firearms claiming he was going to kill cops because of his dog being seized.
The Walla Walla Regional SWAT team was called in to apprehend Drake at his residence early Thursday morning.
Drake was booked into the Walla Walla County Jail on charges of felony harassment – threats to kill, obstructing law enforcement, and second-degree animal cruelty.
WWPD noted that Drake was released on his own recognizance later that day by Walla Walla County Superior Court.
