Man arrested after police standoff
Shelter-in-place order instituted in Newburyport
A man who barricaded himself in his Newburyport home and prompted a brief shelter-in-place order was placed in custody Friday, police said.
Police say the 57-year-old man, who they didn’t identify, had refused to allow police to enter his home as officers investigated a reported break-in at the nearby The Park Lunch earlier Friday.
Police said witnesses saw a suspect matching the man’s description run into a residence a few blocks away, potentially armed.
Newburyport Police requested support from State Police and the Northeast Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council to help convince the man to come out.
The man was ultimately taken into custody without incident and the shelter-inplace
The man refused to allow police to enter his home as officers investigated a reported break-in at The Park Lunch.
order for the area lifted after a few hours.
Police say the man is currently at the Anna Jaques Hospital in Newburyport for evaluation. They say the man is known to police and that no charges have yet been filed.
At one point a negotiator, using a bullhorn, called the suspect by name and assured him that he was safe. “I just want to make sure you’re OK, nobody is going to hurt you,” the negotiator said, according to the Newburyport Daily News.
Newburyport Police used Twitter to keep residents informed about the steps they were taking, and when the coast was all clear.
“Police are currently dealing with a barricaded suspect on Atkinson St. There is a large police presence in the area. Please stay clear of the the area between Winter and Olive streets until further notice,” an early tweet stated.