Shoppers and store employees at the Vancouver Mall in Washington got an unexpected spectacle when a wanted fugitive decided the safest place to lay low was directly above their heads. Store staff at Macy's alerted authorities after hearing strange rustling noises coming from above the false ceiling. Upon closer inspection, officers discovered 21-year-old Gabriel Hideo crawling through the ductwork and ceiling tiles, inadvertently causing a trail of structural damage to lighting fixtures and wiring across the department store. As the situation escalated, police evacuated the store's second floor to secure the area and brought in local firefighters for backup. Officers positioned a tall ladder near the open ceiling tiles in an attempt to negotiate Hideo's surrender. However, the suspect reportedly responded by making erratic growling noises and uttering incoherent sounds while attempting to move further away into the ceiling void. Realizing he might tumble, emergency personnel placed a thick safety mattress directly underneath the opening. The tense standoff dragged on for over an hour before Hideo finally agreed to step down onto the ladder. In a last-second change of heart, he attempted to scramble back into the rafters, prompting officers to pull the ladder away for safety. Hideo plunged onto the padded mattress below and immediately attempted to sprint toward the exit, but officers tackled and apprehended him within seconds. Following the bizarre incident, he was booked into the Clark County Jail on charges of first-degree burglary, malicious mischief, and an outstanding felony warrant.