Man surrenders to end a 15-hour SWAT standoff
— A standoff that started early Monday in Springfield ended after an armed man who had barricaded himself inside finally surrendered and emerged from the house about 15 hours later.
The man was taken into custody about 5:40 p.m. Monday.
The incident started as a domestic disturbance reported at 3:37 a.m. Monday, said Springfield police Sgt. Deric Nichols. The call escalated into a situation involving an armed, barricaded subject.
Springfield police officers, including SWAT members, were communicating with the man — whose name has not yet been released — holed up in the house in the 300 block of Fair Street using a robot they were able to send
in earlier.
The intersection of South Lowry Avenue and Fair Street was blocked and the house surrounded. Multiple law enforcement agencies
were at the scene and shared little information regarding the incident.
It is unclear when SWAT negotiations began, but it had been going on for several hours when a young boy who had been in the house was released.
The boy had been in the house since police initially arrived, said Dorah Harrif, the boy’s great-grandmother. She said that the man had held her daughter and great-grandson in the house.
Harrif said that her daughter was able to escape the house but was not able to get Harrif ’s great-grandson, who was released shortly before 1 p.m.
Torray Lanier, a resident of the neighborhood, said she’s “relieved” that the man left the house.
“I’m speechless,” she said. “I just wanted everyone to go home alive.”
It was not clear Monday evening what charges the man would face.