Police Standoff with Barricaded Man in Farmington Ends Peacefully

A man who kept police at bay for more than two hours this afternoon is in custody, Farmington Public Safety Director Robert Schulz said tonight.

Schulz said the incident, which occurred at Chatham Hills Apartments, started around 3 p.m., after the man's wife made a domestic violence complaint at the public safety department on Liberty St.

When officers responded to the apartment, the man "wouldn't let officers in," Schulz said. "He said if anyone came in, somebody would get hurt."

Through talking with the victim and a check of criminal data banks, police learned the man had a weapon. They also knew a child was in the apartment with him, Schulz said.

The Oakland County Special Response Team was called in, and within 15-20 minutes of entering the building, officers were able to talk the man into a peaceful surrender. No one was injured during the incident, Schulz said.

The call was the first time police had responded to the residence, he added.

"Very few domestic violence situations end up like this," Schulz said. "These are the ones that gain the attention of news media. Just about all of them end peacefully."

About 10 Farmington Public Safety officers and close to 20 from Oakland County responded to the scene.