Archive for Thursday, September 4, 2008
Battering ram ends 9-hour standoff
September 4, 2008
A nine-hour standoff between police and a man who holed himself up in an Edwardsville trailer home ended Monday after a battering ram punched a hole in the wall.
Edwardsville Police Chief Mark Mathies said his officers responded to a call at about 1:30 a.m. about a domestic disturbance at 3 Beach St., found nothing happening, and returned at about 2:55 a.m.
A female was believed to be in the home, Mathies said, and so after one male who was on the porch was taken away, officers entered the trailer.
They were met by a man pointing a weapon, at them, at which point Mathies said the officers retreated and called for assistance.
The Kansas City, Kan., Police Department's special tactical unit arrived and led operations, Mathies said.
After tear gas failed to flush the suspect from the trailer, the KCK unit decided to call the Lenexa Police Department for the use of their battering ram, which is affixed to a military-style personnel carrier.
The ram arrived and "essentially made a big hole so we could observe," Mathies said, after which it was discovered the man had been by himself.
He was arrested without further incident, Mathies said, although the man appears to be struggling in a video that appeared on Kansas City television news stations, credited to Edwardsville resident Michael Moore, as officers dragged him away from the trailer.
The Wyandotte county District Attorney's office did not report any charges were filed against the man as of Wednesday.
Mathies said the incident was still under investigation for the purpose of determining what charges should be filed, though Mathies said he figured aggravated assault against a police officer, for aiming a weapon at the Edwawrdsville officers who entered the home, would be make at least one such charge.
Mathies said he was grateful for the "gracious" response of the KCK and Lenexa police departments.
"I want to thank the area agencies who assisted," he said.




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