A wanted man barricaded himself inside a home in the 700 block of Courtland Avenue in York City Wednesday morning, triggering a tense standoff that ended with tear gas, a specialized police team, and two nearby schools locked down for hours. No one was hurt, but the scene shut down part of the neighborhood and kept students sheltering in place as officers worked to pull the suspect out.
York City police officers went to the home around 10:30 a.m. Wednesday after receiving a tip that a man wanted for attempted homicide was inside, according to abc27. The man refused to come out, and the York County Quick Response Team was eventually called in and removed him from the home, the outlet reported. His identity had not been released as of Wednesday night.
Not every outlet agreed on exactly what the man was wanted for. While abc27 described him as a suspect wanted for attempted homicide, local CBS affiliate CBS 21 reported that officers were called to the block to issue a warrant for a homicide, according to local21news.com. Daily Voice, which first reported on the standoff, said it was seeking clarification on the discrepancy.
Tear Gas Deployed Before Arrest
Police used tear gas before taking the man into custody, per the CBS 21 report. Police Captain Daniel Lentz said the situation had become too dangerous for officers to enter the home on their own, which is why the quick response team was brought in. Lentz added that he did not know whether the man was armed, according to the same account.
Two Schools Shelter in Place
The standoff forced York Catholic Middle & High School to shelter in place and kept Hannah Penn PreK-8 students inside during a scheduled early dismissal, according to pennlive.com. Both lockdowns were lifted at 12:52 p.m. Wednesday, once the immediate threat near the schools had passed. Police said no one was injured during the incident or the arrest that followed.
Separate Scene on North Hartley Street
More than half a dozen York City police vehicles also responded Wednesday to the 300 block of North Hartley Street near Lincoln Street, where officers cordoned off a home and directed traffic away from the area, according to wgal.com. Officers carrying long guns stood outside the property, and officers wearing evidence gloves were later seen entering the home, the station reported. A person was also seen in handcuffs nearby, per the same account.
It remains unclear whether the North Hartley Street activity was connected to the Courtland Avenue standoff. Daily Voice reported that it had reached out to York City police and the York County Department of Emergency Services for more information on both scenes. No further details on the North Hartley Street incident, including who was taken into custody or why, have been released.
