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Local News
CARLSBAD - 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.
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