Aug 29, 2008 10:01 pm US/Central
6 Hours After Barricade Started, Man Arrested
COUNTRYSIDE, Ill. (STNG) ―
More than six hours after an armed man fired shots in his west suburban home, police got the man out of the house and into Countryside police custody.
About 3:30 p.m., hostage negotiators responded to the 10100 block of 5th Avenue Cut Off in Countryside after Countryside police requested assistance, according to Cook County Sheriff's office spokesman Steve Patterson.
Earlier in the day, utility workers in the neighborhood approached the residence when a man living there told them to leave his property and threatened them with a gun, Patterson said.
The workers left the home and called police, and arriving officers heard shots fired in the residence when they approached, Patterson said.
Police then backed off, sealed the area and alerted neighbors of the situation, Patterson said. County hostage negotiators responded to the scene and talked with the man in the home as well as family members on the phone for several hours. The man may have mental health issues, he said.
After hours of negotiations, officials dropped a container of gas through the man's window, Patterson said. The gas mixture was made to irritate the eyes and breathing functions, and the man ultimately staggered to his front door.
Negotiators told the man how to exit the residence and placed handcuffs on him, Patterson said. Despite being combative with arresting officers, he was ultimately taken into police custody by 9:35 p.m.
No one was injured in the incident.
Why the man was refusing to leave the home was not immediately known.
(Source: Sun-Times News Group Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2008. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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