Local News
Five-hour standoff ends peacefully
By Erin Green/Current-Argus Staff Writer
Aug 18, 2004, 02:14 am
Email this article Printer friendly pageCARLSBAD ? A five-hour standoff Monday night in which a 41-year-old man threatened to kill himself ended peacefully when the man surrendered to police, officials said.
The man, who surrendered at about 1:30 a.m., was taken to Carlsbad Medical Center and later taken to a mental health facility in Roswell, Police Chief Connie Mack Riley said Tuesday.
Nobody was injured in the incident, Riley said. He said he credits the work of his officers and other personnel on the scene for the safe conclusion to the situation.
?It?s a credit to their patience and ability to communicate that leads to successful conclusions such as this,? Riley said.
Police responded to a call of a disturbance near the intersection of Church and 12th streets about 8:30 p.m. Monday, Riley said.
The officers were called in reference to an armed male suspect who was making threats of suicide, Riley said. The man had fired one shot inside the enclosed garage as well, he said.
When police learned he had also threatened his mother and sister, who were inside the house, officers on the scene called in the Special Response Team, which made contact with the man and also with the women inside the house.
The man?s mother told police he had been on anti-depressant medication and possibly took an overdose, Riley said.
Upon arrival, shortly after the incident began, the SRT joined the officers in surrounding the house and negotiating with the suspect, Riley said.
He said officer Jon Blackmon and firefighter Terry Carter, who were on the scene, are friends of the man and were able to talk with him and get him to surrender peacefully. He said their efforts in particular were instrumental to the successful ending of the incident.
?After we were able to get him in custody, the suspect was cooperative and offered no other resistance,? Riley said.
During the negotiations, nearby residents were not evacuated, but safety precautions were taken, such as blocking off the area and notifying residents of the ongoing situation.
?We apologize for the inconvenience of blocking off the area, but this was done for the safety of the residents and the personnel,? Riley said. ?You never know what an individual might be thinking. We personally contacted those living in the immediate area and told them to stay inside their homes and not go into their backyards.?
The suspect remains in the Roswell facility. Riley said charges might be filed upon his release, but it is difficult to estimate how long the man might remain hospitalized.
He said the man will remain in Roswell until he is medically stabilized with the appropriate medications, if necessary.