Standoff with barricaded man ends peacefully

Pharr police ended a nearly three-hour standoff with a barricaded man without death or injury, according to chief Andrew Harvey.

Officers responded to a call of a man with a weapon inside his residence. Harvey said they believe he was armed with a rifle and possibly a handgun. He also had a history of struggling with mental health problems.

“It’s important to note when the officers first arrived this morning on the call, we believe that he fired a weapon in the direction of the officers, so that’s what we’ll be investigating,” Harvey said.

An officer who is a part of the mental health unit trained with dealing with people in crisis situations negotiated with the man. His wife joined officers outside and were working toward a peaceful exit. Around 11 a.m., the man stepped outside. He was detained without further incident, police said.

“We’re really focusing on getting him the help first and then we’ll see if there’s going to be any charges filed. But right now, we’re really more interested in getting him the right help that he needs,” Harvey said.

Neither the man nor the officers suffered injuries.