Yesterday, a call for help on a quiet DeSoto street turned into an hours-long police standoff that ended in tragedy. Police say a 55-year-old man inside a home on the 400 block of Goldeneye Drive shot himself after allegedly threatening two relatives with a firearm. He was taken to a hospital, where he later died. The two relatives managed to get out of the house and meet officers safely, and no civilians or officers were hurt.
DeSoto police deployed crisis negotiators and the department’s Special Response Team and spent hours trying to reach the man before ultimately entering the home.
Negotiators and SRT Worked Through the Night
Officers were called to the house at about 11:30 p.m. after relatives reported that a man inside had pointed a gun at them and threatened to shoot, according to the DeSoto Police Department. The relatives got out and met officers, who then brought in DeSoto’s Crisis Negotiations Team and Special Response Team.
Police say negotiators tried for several hours to make contact and resolve the situation without anyone getting hurt. When those efforts did not succeed, Special Response Team officers entered the residence and found the man in the master bedroom, according to the DeSoto Police Department.
Standoff Ends After Single Self-Inflicted Shot
The man was identified by police as 55-year-old Cedrick Renard Johnson. According to the DeSoto Police Department, Johnson fired a single round at himself after officers made contact with him inside the home. He was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was later pronounced deceased.
In their public statement, police stressed that “no civilians or police officers were injured.” The investigation remains active as detectives continue working to piece together the sequence of events, according to the DeSoto Police Department.
Resources, Crisis Help, and What Police Are Asking For
The department’s post also pointed residents toward mental health support, noting that crisis help is available by calling or texting 988. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline operates 24 hours a day and connects people to trained crisis counselors, according to SAMHSA.
Anyone who may have information that could help investigators is asked to contact the DeSoto Police Department’s non-emergency line or use the city’s police contact page for reporting details, according to the City of DeSoto.
