O Brien, Andrea
Case Study: Hostage Situation on the Pyramid Lake Reservation

On February 26, 2018, Tribal Police Officers responded to an assault with a deadly weapon involving Rocky. Rocky was a convicted felon who had recently been released from prison for murder. During this standoff, Rocky found his estranged girlfriend Christina. Prior knowledge through tribal sources advised negotiators Rocky had held Christina hostage a week prior to this incident for four days. During that incident, Christina had been stabbed repeatedly and was able to escape to receive medical attention. Rocky was able to evade police up until this incident. Several obstacles to include weather elements of freezing temperatures, rain, snow, and wind made this 11-hour standoff challenging. Working within the native American community provided different elements which included bringing in the Federal Bureau of Investigations, other regional agencies, and a relief Special Weapons and Tactics Team from Las Vegas, Nv over 300 miles away.

Andrea O Brien - Bio
Retired Lieutenant Andi O'Brien's service began in 1999 as a civilian. After 9/11, her calling moved her to something bigger. In 2003, became a deputy sheriff. Her assignments included detention, crime scene investigator, field training officer, special operations, and the patrol division. In 2018, she was promoted to the rank of Sergeant. In 2023, she was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant. Throughout her tenure, one of her ancillary assignments was with the Hostage Negotiations Team, starting as a negotiator. Shortly after her promotion to Sergeant, she transitioned to Team Leader. In 2026, she retired as the Hostage Team Commander. Andi has served on the WSHNA Board since 2012, first as a District Representative and later on the Executive Board. She has coordinated multiple WSHNA Seminars. While with WSHNA, she has attended several NCNA (National Council of Negotiators Association) Meetings. She continues to develop case studies, educational blocks, and training for first responders, negotiators, and the families of first responders. She speaks nationally and internationally at conferences, courses, and agencies. In 2026, she retired from the Washoe County Sheriff's Office as the commander of the Hostage Negotiations Team.