Saturday night standoff ends peacefully

The Excelsior Springs Police Department successfully ended a standoff with a suicidal subject early Sunday morning.

The four-hour standoff occurred starting shortly before midnight at a duplex in the 100 block of Persimmon Drive.

“The initial call came in about 11:45 p.m. Saturday night,” said Lt. Clint Reno of the ESPD. “The subject was threatening to shoot himself or police if the residence was approached.”

Officers set up a safe perimeter around the area and evacuated all neighboring residents, Reno explained, including the people who lived in the other part of the duplex.

“Throughout the standoff, several shots were heard coming from inside the residence, but telephone contact was maintained with the suspect,” Reno added. “Sgt. Mike Lewis, the department’s trained negotiator, was able to talk with the suspect on the phone for several hours, finally convincing him to come out and surrender. The suspect was taken into custody without incident.”

When police entered the residence afterward, they located weapons and bullet holes in the ceiling. They believe alcohol, family issues and mental health issues played roles in the incident.

Reno said the suspect, who was not identified, was transported to a medical facility and eventually a mental health facility for evaluation and treatment.

By Eric Copeland • eric@leaderpress.com

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