A tense standoff in north Fort Worth shut down a residential block for several hours yesterday before a man who had barricaded himself inside a home surrendered and was taken into custody without incident, according to police. Officers and specialized units lined the 800 block of San Miguel Trail as they worked to defuse the situation and get the man out safely.
Hours-long standoff ends peacefully
As reported by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, officers first went to the home on Feb. 19 after a call led them to a person experiencing a crisis. When members of the Crisis Intervention Team returned on Friday, police told the paper, the man had barricaded himself inside. That brought in Fort Worth SWAT and directed response units, who spent several hours talking with the man before he agreed to come out. He was arrested without incident and taken to a nearby hospital for evaluation, according to the report.
How Fort Worth's Crisis Intervention Team steps in
According to the Fort Worth Police Department, the Crisis Intervention Team is staffed by specially trained, TCOLE-certified officers who partner with Tarrant County mental health providers to respond to people in crisis. The unit focuses on de-escalation, follow-up and connecting people with services, with the stated goal of cutting down on repeat patrol calls and lowering the risk of violence during mental health encounters.
Gunshots during standoff, questions for investigators
Police told the Star-Telegram that while officers were waiting for additional resources, they heard gunfire from inside the house. Investigators said it was not immediately clear whether the shots were directed at officers or were random. Because police said no criminal offense had been established at that point, officers documented the incident in a report and planned a follow-up visit, and the department did not say what charges, if any, the man might eventually face.
Police said the man remains in custody while he is evaluated at a local hospital and officers complete their follow-up work. The department said more details will be released as the investigation continues.
