Last night, Ross Township became the stage for a prolonged standoff as police spent hours negotiating with a man identified as Daniel Thomas, 40, who barricaded himself inside his Tadmar Avenue home. The situation began around 4:45 p.m. when police arrived to serve a warrant, according to a report from WPXI.
Ross Police had been searching for Thomas when an officer observed a light activate inside his residence. Said officer reportedly saw Thomas "pacing around, loading a handgun and aiming it," as cited by WTAE. Authorities noted that Thomas is prohibited from possessing a fire weapon under state law.
The standoff escalated when Thomas, from within the confines of his abode, launched arrows at officers from the North Hills Special Response Team (SRT) and threatened them verbally. The scenario prompted the Allegheny County Police to provide armor support and armored vehicles was deployed in the area, as a witness reported to WPXI.
After long negotiations, Thomas surrendered peacefully and was arrested. This followed the closure of Tadmar Avenue and road restrictions, causing major disruption in the area. Thankfully, no injuries were reported, and the situation ended peacefully.
The incident remains under investigation. Following his surrender, Thomas was detained at the Allegheny County Jail, concluding a tense chapter in Ross Township's day that put the community on edge.
