Police identify person who died in armed standoff

GUILFORD — Police have released the name of a person who was found dead Thursday after an hourslong armed standoff at a Fitch Hill Road home.

Guilford police identified the deceased person as 51-year-old Guilford resident Keith Neal in an update Friday morning.

The agency said the investigation into the incident remains active. Connecticut State Police Major Crime Squad has taken over the probe, Guilford officials said.

Firefighters were dispatched to Durham road around 12:30 p.m. that day after a 911 caller reported a structure fire, according to police. But when fire personnel arrived on scene and found smoke coming from the structure, they were confronted by Neal with two long guns, Chief Warren “Butch” Hyatt said.

“The fire department kind of backed out of the scene and that male left the area in a vehicle,” Hyatt said Thursday morning during a press conference, before Neal’s identity had been released to the media.

Police were notified, and soon after received a phone call from someone stating Neal had gone to an address on Fitch Hill Road, where a relative lived.

Police said officers tried to negotiate with Neal to surrender and let the relative, who was being held hostage, go. A regional SWAT team and the state police Emergency Services Unit were also called to the scene.

The incident stretched on for 18 hours, and only ended after Guilford police said the captive relative was rescued by state troopers. Neal was found dead inside the home at the time.

Guilford police said Thursday the state’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner is investigating the cause and manner of Neal’s death.